i 


THE 

LIVES  OF  THE  SAINTS: 

COMPRISING  THE 

MOST  POPULAR  SAINTS  AND  MARTYRS, 


•WITH 


A Prayer  to  each  Saint  imploring  his  or  her  Intercession 
with  God  for  his  mercy  and  forgiveness. 


FROM  BUTLER’S  “LIVES  OF  THE  SAINTS1’  AND  TRANS- 
LATIONS FROM  THE  FRENCH. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


New  York  : 

J.  A.  McGEE,  PUBLISHER,  7 BARCLAY  ST. 

1877. 


»osion  college  u&t  „ 

CHESTNUT  HILL.  MASS 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1876,  by 
J.  A.  McGEE, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


APPROBATIONS 

OF  THEIR  EMINENCES 

PARDINAL  pULLEN  AND  pARDINAL  /VIcpLOSKEY. 

“Nothing  can  be  more  conducive  to  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  the  Faithful  than  to  meditate  on  the  virtues, 
and  to  consider  the  example,  of  the  Saints,  the  chosen 
friends  and  servants  of  Jesus  Christ.  Hence,  we  are 
happy  to  learn  that  the  zealous  Catholic  publisher  has 
undertaken  to  publish  a cheap  edition  of  Lives  of  Saints, 
and  we  beg  to  recommend  this  work  to  the  perusal  of  all 
faithful  Christians. 

•p  PAUL  CULLEN,  Archbishop,  etc.” 

“ I approve  of  their  publication  by  Mr  McGee. 

• f • JOHN,  Archbishop  of  New  York.” 


CONTENTS. 


NO. 

1.  Blessed  Virgin  Mary. 

2.  St.  Patrick. 

3.  “ Bridget. 

4.  “ Joseph. 

5.  “ Peter.  v- 

6.  “ Catharine. 

7.  ‘ * Margaret. 

8.  “ Rose  of  Lima. 

9.  “ Lawrence  O’Toole. 

10.  “ John. 

11.  “ Agnes. 

12.  “ Francis. 

13.  “ Bernard. 

14.  “ Cecelia. 

15.  “ George. 

16.  “ Ann  (Mother  of  the  Blessed  Virgin). 

17.  “ Ursula. 

18.  “ Winifred. 

19.  “ Mary  Magdalene. 

20.  “ Charles. 

21.  “ Thomas. 

22.  “ Julia. 

23.  “ Michael  (the  Archangel). 

24.  “ Elizabeth. 

25.  “ Jane  de  Chantal. 

26.  “ James.  S 

27.  “ Martin. 

28.  “ Ellen. 

29.  “ Andrew. 

30.  ‘ ‘ Genevieve. 

31.  “ Teresa. 

32.  “ Stephen. 

33.  “ Louis. 

34.  “ Matilda. 

35.  “ Dympna. 

36.  “ Henry. 

37.  “ William. 

38.  “ Angela. 

39.  “ Eugene. 

40.  “ Philip,  etc.,  etc.  v 


i 


THE  LIFE 

OP 

THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

A Redeemer  had  been  promised  to 
fallen  man.  The  Word  of  God  himself 
was  to  become  man,  to  redeem  us,  and 
it  was  in  a virgin’s  womb  that  this  great 
mystery  was  to  be  operated.  The  time 
fixed  by  the  prophets  for  tills  work  of 
love  had  now  arrived. 

Therefore,  in  the  year  after  the  creation 
of  the  world,  3985,  or  thereabouts,  and 
as  is  generally  believed,  on  the  8th  of 
September,  there  was  bom  in  Nazareth,  a 
small  town  of  Galilee,  this  most  blessed 
Virgin,  who  was  destined  to  give  birth 
to  the  Redeemer  of  men,  the  Messias 
whom  all  the  ages  awaited.  Joachim, 
(3) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

her  father,  descended  from  the  race  of 
David,  and  Anne,  her  mother,  sprung 
from  the  priestly  family  of  Aaron,  had 
miraculously  obtained  tliis  child  after 
twenty  years’  sterility. 

This  most  blessed  Virgin,  the  future 
mother  of  the  Sun  of  Justice,  was  adorned 
with  all  the  attributes  of  grace,  and  from 
the  moment  of  her  conception,  no  stain, 
even  of  original  sin,  ever  tarnished  her 
purity.  Even  the  very  day  of  her  nativity 
lias  been  inscribed  amongst  the  nmnber 
of  the  solemnities  of  the  Church,  while 
with  the  Saints  the  Church  generally 
commemorates  only  the  day  of  their 
death. 

This  child  so  peculiarly  favored  by 
God,  received  the  mysterious  name  of 
Mary,  which  in  Hebrew,  signifies  “Star 
of  the  sea.”  St.  Bernard  observes,  that 
the  Mother  of  Christ  could  not  have  re- 
(4) 


I 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY 

ceived  a name  more  suited  to  lier  destiny. 
u Mary,”  says  he,  “ is  that  brilliant  star 
which  shines  upon  the  vast  and  stormy 
sea  of  the  world.” 

Twenty-four  days  after  Mary’s  birth, 
Anne,  in  obedience  to  the  law  of  Mose# 
regarding  purification , repaired  to  the 
Temple,  and  there  made  the  usual  offer- 
ing, which  consisted  of  a lamb  or,  from 
die  poor,  two  turtle  doves. 

But  the  gratitude  of  Anne  exceeded  this; 
she  offered  to  the  Lord  a purer  victim ; she 
devoted  to  the  service  of  the  holy  place 
the  infant  whom  the  Most  High  had  given 
her;  and  she  solemnly  promised  to  bring 
her  child  to  the  Temple,  and  there  to  con- 
secrate her  as  soon  as  her  young  reason 
could  discern  good  and  evil.  When  the 
ceremony  had  terminated,  the  two  spouses 
retraced  their  steps  homewards ; but  three 
years  had  scarcely  passed  when  the  pious 
(5) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

mother  brought  her  daughter  back.  In 
this  infant  of  blessedness,  reason  had 
scarcely  a dawning;  it  beamed  forth  bril- 
liantly at  an  age  when  other  children 
scarcely  know  their  right  hand  from  the 
left.  Beyond  doubt,  the  sacrifice  which 
these  parents  were  about  to  make,  cost 
them  much.  She  was  their  only  child, 
the  sweet  crown  of  their  old  age,  tlieir 
consolation  and  delight;  but  they  were 
animated  by  the  Spirit  from  above.  Anne 
and  Joachim  preferred  what  was  due  to 
God  to  their  own  gratification. 

Mary’s  father  and  mother,  therefore, 
proceeded  to  J erusalem,  and  in  the  midst 
of  the  imposing  solemnities  of  the  feast  of 
the  Dedication,  presided  over  by  the  high 
priest,  Zachary,  deposited  within  the  sa- 
cred precincts  of  the  Temple  the  child  of 
grace,  the  precious  treasure  that  had  been 
given  to  them  by  the  God  of  IsraeL 
(6) 


I 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 


From  that  moment  Mary  was  numbered 
amongst  the  young  virgins  attached  to 
the  service  of  the  Temple,  and  who  were 
brought  up  in  the  holy  place,  far  from  the 
noise  of  the  world  and  the  gaze  of  the 
wicked.  An  azure-colored  robe,  a white 
tunic  fastened  by  a cincture,  and  a long 
veil,  was  the  costume  of  Mary  and  her 
companions  in  the  Temple.  The  virgins 
rose  at  break  of  day,  at  the  hour  when  the 
wicked  angels  are  dumb , says  a pious 
author,  and  when  prayers  are  heard  most 
favorably.  They  chanted  the  Psalms  night 
and  morning  in  the  sanctuary;  during  the 
day  their  fingers  plied  the  cedar  spindles; 
they  worked  either  at  gold  or  fine  wool, 
and  they  embroidered  or  executed  designs 
rivalling  the  fabrics  of  Sidon.  Mary, 
superior  to  all  her  companions  in  the 
various  pursuits,  excelled  them  likewise 
in  spinning.  The  popular  traditions,  faith- 
(7) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

ful  to  this  remembrance,  appropriately 
term  the  white  tissues  of  vapors  suspended 
over  the  fields  in  the  sunset  of  autumn, 
“the  Virgin’s  threads.” 

Mary  had  passed  nine  years  near  the 
holy  tabernacles,  when  she  lost  her  aged 
father,  who  died  blessing  his  child.  A 
little  while  afterwards  Anne  also  died. 
Mary,  now  an  orphan,  and  bereft  of  all 
that  she  loved  on  earth,  turned  her 
thoughts  undivided  to  the  things  of  God. 
She  chose  God  for  her  sole  heritage,  and 
she  devoted  herself  to  the  service  of  his 
altar,  with  the  intention  of  never  quitting 
the  holy  place.  Like  the  august  chief  of 
her  race,  Mary  found  that  one  day  spent 
in  the  tabernacles  of  the  God  of  Israel 
was  preferable  to  a thousand  days  else- 
where, and  she  would  rather  have  been 
the  least  in  this  holy  place  than  the  most 
honored  in  the  tents  of  Cedar. 

(8) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

It  is  thus  that  the  Blessed  Virgin,  who 
should  be  a model  to  all  ages  and  to  all 
the  conditions  of  life,  presents  to  the  world, 
from  her  tenderest  years,  an  example  of 
that  religious  life  which  is  not  marked  by 
any  one  distinguishing  virtue,  because  it 
is  an  assemblage  of  all  virtues.  Above 
all  things,  Mary  cultivated  that  virginity 
which  Jesus  Christ  was  to  teach  to  the 
world ; nay,  she  vowed  herself  to  it  before 
the  Savior  of  the  world  had  preached  its 
advantages,  or  enunciated  precepts  con- 
cerning it.  Before  the  paths  had  been 
traced,  or  the  way  opened,  Mary’s  love 
served  her  for  a master,  and  her  heart 
acted  as  her  guide.  Excited  and  animated 
by  grace,  she  was  able  to  practise  virtues 
till  that  moment  unknown. 

After  the  death  of  her  parents,  Mary 
was  placed  under  guardians  whose  names 
have  not  reached  us.  In  all  probability 
they  were  of  the  sacerdotal  race,  since  she 
(9) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 


belonged  to  the  family  of  Aaron,  by  her 
mother’s  side.  “If  we  be  permitted  to 
hazard  a conjecture,”  says  the  Abbe 
Orsini,  “ we  would  say,  it  is  likely  that 
the  charge  of  her  education  was  particu- 
larly confided  to  the  husband  of  Elizabeth, 
the  high  reputation  of  whose  virtue  and 
close  kindred  would  seem  to  have  marked 
him  out  for  these  protecting  offices.  The 
intense  love  that  caused  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin, two  or  three  years  afterwards,  to 
traverse  all  Judea  that  she  might  offer  her 
congratulations  to  the  mother  of  St.  John 
the  Baptist,  and  her  protracted  sojourn  in 
the  mountains  of  Hebron,  seem  to  denote 
relations  more  than  those  of  simple 
kindred.  The  roof  that1  sheltered  Mary 
during  such  a long  visit  could  not  have 
been,  according  to  the  usages  rigorously 
observed  by  the  Jews,  less  sacred  than 
the  paternal  home.” 

Whosoever  these  guardians  were,  they 
(10) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 


soon  determined  to  give  their  pupil  a 
spouse  worthy  of  her.  Mary  was  then, 
according  to  the  common  opinion,  about 
fifteen  or  sixteen  years  of  age.  Cardinal 
Cajetan  thinks  that  she  must  have  been 
at  the  least  twenty-two  years  old. 

This  projected  marriage  alarmed  the 
young  virgin.  She  would  have  resisted 
it;  but  sterility  being  then  looked  upon 
as  a disgrace,  and  her  vow  of  virginity 
becoming  null  by  the  sole  will  of  the  fam- 
ily council,  Mary  must  needs  obey.  Her 
suitors  presented  themselves,  and  of  them 
all  the  lot  fell  upon  a poor  carpenter  of 
Nazareth,  a man  advanced  in  years  (aged 
about  fifty  years),  and  who,  although  of 
the  noble  race  of  David,  earned  his  bread 
by  the  sweat  of  his  brow.  An  ancient 
tradition,  given  by  St.  Jerome,  and  pre- 
served in  the  history  of  Mount  Carmel, 
relates,  that  the  suitors,  after  beseeching 
(11) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

Him  who  presides  over  men’s  destinies* 
deposited  in  the  night  time  them  almond 
wands  in  the  Temple,  and  that  on  the  next 
day  the  withered  and  dead  wand  of  Joseph 
was  found  verdant  and  flourishing,  like 
that  which,  in  ages  long  gone,  had  secured 
the  priesthood  to  the  family  of  Aaron. 

Such  was  the  man  chosen  by  God  to  be, 
in  the  eyes  of  men,  the  spouse  of  Mary, 
but  in  the  eyes  of  heaven,  the  protector 
and  guardian  of  her  virginity.  The  hum- 
ble Joseph  received  Mary  in  his  poor 
home,  and  as  a profound  admirer  of  the 
virtues  of  his  spouse,  he  respected  her  as 
the  ark  of  the  Lord,  nay,  as  the  temple 
of  Jehovah.  Mary,  bidding  adieu  to  the 
cedar  and  gold  of  the  Temple,  the  con- 
secrated perfumes,  the  psaltery  of  lyres 
and  harps,  and  to  all  the  brilliant  and 
beauteous  occupations  of  the  holy  place, 
clothed  herself  with  indigence  as  a robe 
(12) 


LIFL  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY  • 

of  honor,  and  gave  herself  without  mur- 
muring to  all  the  fatiguing  cares  of  her 
poor  household.  And  why  should  not  the 
pious  Mary  love  Joseph  ?-by  what  count- 
less cares  should  she  not  prove  her  grati- 
tude to  him,  since  her  virginity,  that  treas- 
ure so  dear  to  her  heart,  found  such  sure 
and  holy  protection  beneath  the  shade  of 
his  virtues? 

About  two  months  had  passed  over  the 
heads  of  these  chaste  spouses  in  the  house 
of  Nazareth,  where  they  led  the  most  holy 
life  that  heaven  ever  beheld,  when  the 
hour  destined  for  the  world’s  salvation 
came,  that  hour  so  often  announced  by 
the  Pophets  of  Israel,  and  so  long  ex- 
pected by  the  nations.  Let  us  hear  the 
evangelical  historian : “ And  in  the  sixth 
month,  the  Angel  Gabriel  was  sent  from 
God  into  a city  of  Galilee,  called  Nazareth 
to  a virgin  espoused  to  a man  whose  name 
(18) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 


was  Joseph,  of  the  house  of  David : and  the 
virgin’s  name  was  Mary.  And  the  angel 
being  come  in,  said  unto  her:  Hail,  full 
of  grace,  the  Lord  is  with  thee : Blessed 
art  thou  among  women.  Who  having 
heard  was  troubled  at  his  saying,  and 
thought  with  herself  what  manner  of  salu- 
tation this  should  be.  And  the  angel  said 
to  her:  Fear  not,  Mary,  for  thou  hast 
found  grace  with  God.  Behold  thou  shalt 
conceive  in  thy  womb,  and  shalt  bring 
forth  a son ; and  thou  shalt  call  his  name 
Jesus.  He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be 
called  the  son  of  the  Most  High,  and  the 
Lord  God  shall  give  unto  him  the  throne 
of  David  his  father : and  he  shall  reign  in 
the  house  of  Jacob  for  ever.” — St.  Luke, 
l 26-32. 

Mary,  not  being  able  to  comprehend 
these  strange  words,  manifestly  contra- 
dicting the  vow  of  virginity  she  had  made 
(14) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 


in  the  Temple  of  the  Lord,  grew  more 
astonished.  She  then  says  to  the  angel, 
with  simplicity,  “ How  shall  this  he 
done?  ” And  the  angel  answering,  said 
to  her;  “The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come 
upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Most 
High  shall  overshadow  thee.  And  there- 
fore also  the  Holy  which  shall  he  horn 
of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God. 
And  behold  thy  cousin  Elizabeth,  she 
also  hath  conceived  a son  in  her  old  age ; 
and  this  is  the  sixth  month  with  her  that 
is  called  barren ; because  no  word  shall  be 
impossible  with  God.’ -St.  Luke,  i.  35-37. 
Mary,  then  annihilated  before  the  divine 
decrees,  replies,  with  the  most  sincere 
humility,  “ Behold  the  handmaid  of  the 
Lord,  be  it  done  to  me  according  to  thy 
word.”  And  the  angel  disappeared.  ‘And 
the  Word  was  made  Flesh,  and  dwelt 
amongst  us.”  “ Let  us  go  no  further  into 
(15) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

tliis  mystery,”  says  St.  John  Chrysostom, 
“nor  let  ns  ask  how  the  Holy  Ghost  could 
operate  this  miracle  in  the  Virgin.  This 
divine  generation  is  a profound  abyss  that 
no  curious  searching  can  fathom.” 

Meanwhile,  the  Blessed  Virgin  being  in- 
formed by  the  angel  of  the  miraculous 
pregnancy  of  St.  Elizabeth,  believed  it  her 
duty  to  go  and  offer  her  congratulations. 
The  distance  between  Nazareth  and  the 
town  of  Hebron,  where  dwelt  the  Blessed 
Virgin’s  relative,  the  spouse  of  Zachary, 
was  about  a hundred  and  fifteen  or  twenty 
miles ; nevertheless  she  did  not  hesitate, 
but  traversed  the  mountains  of  Judea,  and 
at  length  arrived  in  the  city  of  Juda. 
Being  conducted  to  the  house  of  Zachary, 
she  entered,  and  saluting  Elizabeth,  said 
to  her,  “Peace  be  with  thee.”  At  the 
sound  of  Mary’s  voice,  the  precursor  of 
the  Messias  leaped  with  joy  in  his  mother’s 
(16) 


j 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY 

womb,  and  Elizabeth,  filled  with  the  spirit 
of  prophecy,  exclaimed,  “ Blessed  art  thou 
among  women,  and  blessed  is  the  fruit  of 
thy  womb.  And  whence  is  this  to  me, 
that  the  Mother  of  my  Lord  should  come 
to  me?  For  behold,  as  soon  as  the  voice 
of  thy  salutation  sounded  in  my  ears,  the 
infant  in  my  womb  leaped  for  joy.  And 
blessed  art  thou  that  hast  believed,  be- 
cause those  things  shall  be  accomplished 
that  were  spoken  to  thee  by  the  Lord.” 
Mary  answered  her,  and  pronounced  the 
admirable  canticle  (Magnificat) — an  eter- 
nal monument  of  her  humility  and  grati- 
tude; “A  canticle  more  replete,”  says  an 
ancient  writer,  “ with  mysteries  than  words  ; 
a glorious  picture  of  Providence,  which 
raises  up  the  humble,  casts  down  the 
proud,  and  confounds  the  powerful,  in 
order  to  protect  the  weak,  and  satisfy 
the  indigent : ” 

My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord. 

(17) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

And  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God  my 
Savior. 

For  he  hath  regarded  the  humility  of 
his  handmaid : for  behold  from  henceforth 
all  generations  shall  call  me  blessed. 

For  he  that  is  mighty  hath  done  great 
things  unto  me,  and  holy  is  his  name. 

And  his  mercy  is  from  generation  to 
generation  unto  them  that  fear  him 

He  hath  showed  strength  with  his 
arm ; he  hath  scattered  the  proud  in  the 
imagination  of  their  hearts. 

He  hath  put  down  the  mighty  frpm 
their  seats : and  hath  exalted  the  humble. 

He  hath  filled  the  hungry  with  good 
things : and  the  rich  he  hath  sent  empty 
away. 

He  hath  upholden  his  servant  Israel : 
being  mindful  of  his  mercy. 

As  he  spake  unto  our  fathers : to 
Abraham  and  his  seed  for  ever. 

After  staying  three  months  with  her 
(18) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

venerable  cousin,  Mary  returned  to  Naz- 
areth. At  that  moment,  J oseph,  who  was 
a just  man  full  of  charity  and  veneration 
for  the  virtues  of  Mary,  felt  himself  a prey 
to  cruel  perplexities.  He  therefore  resolved 
to  dismiss  Mary.  Whilst  this  thought 
occupied  him,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  ap- 
peared to  him  in  his  sleep,  and  said  to  him, 
“Joseph,  son  of  David,  fear  not  to  take 
unto  thee  Mary  thy  wife,  for  that  which 
is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  she  shall  bring  forth  a son:  and  thou 
shalt  call  his  name  Jesus.  For  he  shall 
save  his  people  from  their-sins.”  On  awak- 
ing from  his  sleep,  Joseph  profoundly 
adored  the  admirable  ways  of  Providence, 
and  all  his  doubts  were  dissipated. 

And  now  the  solemn  moment  when  the 
heavens  were  to  rain  down  the  Just  One 
had  arrived.  Oh,  mountain  of  Sion,  leap 
with  joy!  A Virgin  Mother,  a Virgin 
(19) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

excelling  all  the  daughters  of  men  in 
blessedness,  is  about  to  give  to  the 
world  the  Expected  of  the  Nations  ! 

An  edict  of  Augustus  Csesar,  then 
master  of  the  world,  ordered  a general 
census  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth. 
Every  one  was  obliged  to  go  to  the 
town  from  which  his  family  sprung,  to 
be  enrolled ; wherefore  these  holy 
spouses,  who  descended  from  David, 
notwithstanding  the  inclemency  of  the 
soason,  and  the  Blessed  Virgin’s  tender 
condition,  set  out  for  Nazareth,  and  after 
a journey  of  five  days,  at  length  reached 
Bethlehem. 

The  inns  were  full ; they  sought  shel- 
ter, but  they  found  it  not.  The  fatigue 
of  the  young  virgin  could  not  inspire 
compassion.  Night  fell ; the  spouses 
quitted  the  inhospitable  city,  sought 

refuge  in  a deserted  cavern — a place 
(20) 


,1 

LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MART. 

which  was  frequented  by  the  shepherds 
of  Bethlehem  in  the  stormy'  nights. 
There  they  rested,  thanking  heaven  for 
this  comfortless  asylum ; and  there  it  was, 
in  the  silence  of  the  midnight,  that  the 
Virgin  brought  forth  the  Christ  expected 
for  forty  centuries,  the  Messiah,  the  Son 
of  God,  in  all  things  equal  to  God,  who 
deigned  to  come  down  into  our  valley 
of  tears  to  renew  the  face  of  the  earth, 
to  heal  and  to  restore ; and  this  King  of 
kings,  this  Divine  Legislator,  this  Lord 
of  the  world,  this  Pastor  promised  to  the 
children  of  Israel,  now  reposes  on  humid 
straw  in  a miserable  manger.  “Ah!”  ex- 
claims St.  Bernard,  “Ah!  Mary,  carefully 
conceal  the  splendor  of  this  new  Sun, 
lay  him  in  the  manger,  cover  him  with 
his  scanty  clothing ; that  poor  clothing  is 
our  wealth,  the  rude  clothing  of  my  Sav- 
ior is  more  precious  than  purple,  and  the 




LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY 

manger  is  more  glorious  than  the  thrones 
of  kings.”  Oh!  what  must  have  been 
Mary’s  joy  at  that  moment  1 Let  us  hear 
St.  Basil:  “How  shall  I call  thee?”  ex- 
claims  the  daughter  of  the  Patriarchs, 
while  she  bends  over  the  infant  God.  A 
mortal? — but  thou  hast  been  conceived 
by  a Divine  operation.  A God? — but 
thou  hast  a human  body ! Ought  I come 
to  thee  with  incense,  or  offer  thee  my 
milk? — ought  I bestow  on  thee  a mother’s 
cares,  or,  with  forehead  bowed  to  the  dust, 
serve  thee  as  thy  slave?  ” 

“And  there  were  in  the  same  country 
shepherds  watching,  and  keeping  the 
night-watches  over  their  flock.  And  be- 
hold, an  angel  of  the  Lord  stood  by  them, 
and  the  brightness  of  God  shone  round 
about  them,  and  they  feared  with  a great 
fear.  And  the  angel  said  to  them:  Fear 
not;  for  behold  I bring  you  good  tidings 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

of  great  joy,  that  shall  he  to  all  the 
people:  For  this  clay  is  bom  to  you  a 
Savior,  who  is  Christ  the  Lord,  in  the  city 
of  David.  And  this  shall  be  a sign  unto 
you:  You  shall  find  the  infant  wrapped 
m swaddling  clothes,  and  laid  in  a manger. 
And  suddenly  there  was  with  the  angel  a 
multitude  of  the  heavenly  army,  praising 
God,  and  saying:  Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest;  and  on  earth  peace  to  men  of 
good  will.” — Luke,  ii.  8-14. 

The  angels  retired,  the  celestial  psalm- 
ody ceased,  and  the  enraptured  shepherds 
listened,  till  they  heard  only  the  night 
winds  sweeping  through  the  valley.  They 
then  took  counsel  of  each  other  and  said 
— “ Let  us  go  over  to  Bethlehem  and  see 
this  word  that  is  come  to  pass,  which  the 
Lori  hath  showed  to  us”.  And  they 
came  with  haste;  and  they  found  Mary 
and  Joseph,  and  the  infant  lying  in  the 

(23) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

manger.  And  seeing,  they  understood  ol 
the  word  that  had  been  spoken  to  them 
concerning  this.  And  all  that  heard  won- 
dered: and  at  those  tilings  that  were  told 
them  by  the  shepherds.  But  Mary  kept 
all  these  words,  pondering  them  in  her 
heart.  And  the  shepherds  returned,  glori- 
fying and  praising  God  for  all  the  things 
they  had  heard  and  seen,  as  it  was  told 
unto  them.” — St.  Luke,  ii.  15-20. 

Thus,  for  his  first  temple,  under  heaven, 

the  Man-God  had  a stable It  was 

there  that  he  was  circumcised,  the  eighth 
day  after  his  nativity.  As  he  should  re- 
ceive a name  then,  he  was  called  Jesus, 
which  signifies  Savior;  for  he  came  to 
save  all  men. 

It  was  in  the  stable  that  our  poor  God 
received  the  adoration  of  the  shepherds 
of  Judea,  the  first  representatives  of 
Israel;  it  was  also  in  a stable  that  God, 
(24 


LIFE  OF  T1IE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 


who  came  to  save  mankind,  received  the 
adoration  of  the  princes  of  the  East,  the 
royal  first  fruits  of  converted  Heathenism- 
Forty  days  after  this  marvellous  nativ- 
ity of  the  Savior  of  mankind,  the  humle 
Virgin  conceals  the  splendor  of  her  spot' 
less  purity  and  the  divine  privilege  of 
her  virginal  maternity  under  the  sombre 
veils  a humiliating  ceremony  prescribed 
by  the  law  of  Moses,  and  obligatory  on 
every  woman  who  had  brought  forth  a 
. child. 

Although  always  a virgin,  the  chaste 
spouse  of  the  Holy  Ghost  goes,  as  it  were, 
to  cleanse  her  from  a stain  which  she  had 
never  contracted,  and  to  join  the  other 
women  of  Israel  in  the  legal  purifica- 
tion. She  presents  the  infant  God  in  the 
Temple  of  Jerusalem,  and  likewise  the  two 
doves  that  should  be  offered  in  sacrifice. 
Here  the  future  was  unveiled  to  her  eyes, 

(25) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

to  the  eyes  of  her  whom  all  nations  shall 
call  blessed,  but  whom  all  nations  shall 
style  Queen  of  Martyrs.  Magnificent  and 
brilliant  words,  it  is  true,  fell  from  the 
prophetic  lips  of  the  aged  Simeon:  the 
child  of  Mary  was  to  be  a light  to  the 
nations  and  the  glory  of  Israel;  but  he 
was  also  to  be  a mark  for  the  perversity 
of  man,  and  the  soul  of  his  mother  was  to 
be  transpierced  by  the  sword  of  sorrow. 

Mary  was  saddened  by  these  words, 
but  she  gladly  accepted  everything  that 
came  from  God. 

After  this  ceremony  the  two  spouses 
returned  to  Nazareth;  but  they  have 
scarcely  arrived  when  an  angel  from 
heaven  orders  Joseph  to  take  the  child  and 
his  motherland  fly  into  Egypt,  for  Herod 
sought  the  child  to  slay  him. 

The  Wise  Men  who  came  from  the 
East  and  sought  the  child,  awakened 
(26) 


»OSTON  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 
CHESTNUT  HILL,  MASS. 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

Herod’s  alarm.  Herod  thought  that  in  a 
little  while  one  far  more  potent  than  him- 
self, would  come  to  deprive  him  of  his 
throne ; he  therefore  determined  to 
murder  the  child  in  his  cradle  ; and  to  be 
assured  of  his  victim,  he  massacred  all  the 
children  of  Bethlehem  from  two  years  old 
and  under.  But  God  will  save  the  in- 
fant from  the  sword  of  the  tyrant,  and  he 
shall  live  to  offer  himself  a sacrifice  on 
Calvary. 

The  angel’s  words  terrified  the  hearts 
of  J osepli  and  Mary  : they  fly  by  night, 
and  pass  inter  Egypt  over  roads  unknown 
to  them,  and  over  deserts,  in  the  midst  of 
a thousand  privations  ; but  with  them 
they  have  Jesus,  and  this  treasure  con- 
soles them  in  all  their  sorrows,  and  for 
love  of  J esus  they  resignedly  endure  all 
the  afflictions  of  exile,  despised  as  pooi 

foreigners,  by  the  haughty*  unbelievers 

127) 


LIFE  OF  THE  ELESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

of  the  land.  About  seven  years  after- 
wards, Herod  being  dead,  Joseph,  having 
received  another  admonition  from  the 
angel,  brought  back  the  mother  and  in- 
fant out  of  the  land  of  exile. 

The  humble  carpenter  applied  himself 
to  his  trade,  the  Virgin  employed  herself 
with  her  household  duties,  and  Jesus, 
though  still  young,  worked  with  his  hands 
and  assisted  his  poor  foster  father. 
This  life  of  labor  and  meditation,  this  life 
which  was  so  toilsome,  and  at  the  same 
time  so  interior  and  so  perfect,  this 
mysterious  existence  of  Jesus,  Mary,  and 
Joseph  under  the  humble  roof  of  Naza- 
reth, has  remained  hidden  from  the  eyes 
of  man. 

All  we  know  of  it  is,  that  when  the 
Divine  infant  had  attained  his  twelfth 
year,  Mary  and  Joseph,  who  were  strict 
observers  of  the  Mosaic  law,  brought  him 
(28) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MAllY. 


to  Jerusalem  for  tlie  feast  of  the  Pascli 
Here  they  lost  him,  and  thinking  that  li8 
was  with  some  of  their  kindred  or 
acquaintances,  they  were  returning  from 
the  holy  city,  when  they  discovered  their 
mistake.  Extreme  was  them  desolation : 
they  hastened  back,  they  sought  him  in 
all  the  streets  of  the  city,  and  after  length  - 
ened inquiries  found  him  in  the  Temple, 
seated  in  the  midst  of  the  doctors, 
astonishing  them  by  his  wisdom  and 
answers.  “ Son,  why  hast  thou  done  so  to 
us?”  asked  his  mother  tenderly;  “be- 
hold thy  father  and  I have  sought  thee 
sorrowing.”  Jesus  answered : “ How  is 
is  that  ye  sought  me  ? did  you  not  know 
that  I must  be  about  my  Father’s 
business  ? ” But  they  did  not  comprehend 
what  he  said.  He  then  accompanied 
them,  and  remained  at  Nazareth  subject 
to  them  And  his  mother  kept  all  these 
(29) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY 


words  in  her  heart,  and  Jesus  advanced 
in  wisdom  and  age  and  grace  with  God 
and  man. 

In  these  few  words  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  epitomize  many  years  of  our 
Savior’s  life.  For  a period  of  about 
eighteen  years  the  Holy  Family  remains 
hidden  from  our  eyes. 

It  is  believed  that  our  Lord  was  twenty- 
nine  years  of  age  when  Joseph  died  : a 
most  enviable  death.  After  embracing 
his  adopted  Son,  he  departed  this  life, 
accompanied  by  the  profound  regrets  of 
his  loving  child. 

The  Man-God  is  now  about  to 
commence  liis  divine  mission  : he  tears 
himself  from  the  embraces  of  his  holy 
Mother,  quits  Nazareth,  and  retires  into 
the  desert  to  prepare  himself,  by  fasting 
and  prayer,  for  the  grand  work  of 
saving  the  world.  After  this  Jesus  dwells 
(30) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARS. 

a short  while  with  Mary,  to  calm  her 
anguish  and  console  the  troubled  heart 
of  that  tender  mother  by  his  presence. 

It  was  then  that  the  marriage  of  Cana 
in  Galilee  was  solemnized.  The  spouses 
were  related  to  the  Blessed  Virgin.  She 
was  invited  to  the  wedding,  together  with 
Jesus  and  his  first  disciples.  The  wine 
failed  at  the  banquet : the  spouses  were 
confounded.  Mary  was  the  first  to 
perceive  their  confusion  and  embarrass- 
ment; she  turned  to  Jesus,  and  full  of 
confidence  and  faith  she  said  to  him : 
“ They  have  no  wine.”  And  she  waited 
till  the  moment  when  her  Son’s  inter- 
position should  become  necessary.  J esus, 
unable  to  resist  the  charitable  desires  of 
Iiis  mother,  works  his  first  miracle  at  her 
instance,  and  changes  the  water  contained 
in  six  stone  urns  into  delicious  wine. 

The  better  to  understand  some  passages 
(31) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

of  Scripture  in  wliicli  Jesus  seems  to  have 
spoken  with  apparent  coldness  to  his 
mother,  we  deem  it  opportune  to  make 
the  following  few  remarks : — None  can 
doubt  the  extreme  and  profound  tender- 
ness with  which  Christ  reciprocated  the 
tenderness  and  affection  of  Mary.  From 
her  he  had  received  existence  and  the 
blood  that  flowed  in  his  veins  : the  blood 
that  he  was  to  offer  in  sacrifice  on  the 
cross  to  take  away  the  sins  of  the  world 
was  the  gift  of  Mary,  and  of  Mary  alone. 

All  the  holy  affections  which  the  Lord 
of  life  implants  in  the  soul  of  a child  for 
those  from  whom  it  receives  life — all 
those  holy  affections  did  our  Lord  Jesus 
concentrate  in  the  person  of  his  blessed 
Mother.  As  God  and  Man  he  loved  this 
tender  mother ; of  her  lie  had  taken  flesh, 
and  as  God  lie  loved  her  with  a love 
transcending  all  that  is  earthly.  This 
(32) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

was  the  only  time  in  which  the  Divinity, 
who  conferretli  all  good,  found  himself 
called  upon  to  practise  towards  the 
creature  the  virtue  of  noble  hearts, 
gratitude ; end  that  of  Jesus  for  Mary 
augmented  in  proportion  to  all  the 
sacrifices,  privations,  and  labors  that  this 
holy  and  noble  Virgin  underwent  for  love 
of  him.  If,  therefore,  we  occasionally 
find  in  the  Scriptures,  that  Christ 
sometimes  spoke  to  his  mother  more  like 
her  Lord  than  her  Son,  it  is  not  because 
he  lacked  affection,  or  that  he  was  in- 
different to  her,  but  it  is  simply  because 
he  isolated  himself  from  eaithly  things, 
that  he  might  the  better  glorify  his 
Father,  whose  interests  were  his  primary 
consideration — interests  of  such  superla- 
tive nature  as  to  occupy  wholly  the  soul 
of  the  Divine  Redeemer.  Mary  was  too 

deeply  impressed  with  the  conviction  of 
(33) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIKGIX  MARY. 

the  sacred  mission  of  her  Son  to  be 
troubled  at  his  words,  if  they  sometimes 
seemed  severe  she  knew  that  the  young 
Galilean  who),  she  had  nourished  at  liei 
breast  was  to  ecome  the  Legislator,  and 
she  knew  fm  well  that  he  would  soon 
cause  the  miraculous  transformation  to 
take  place  ; in  a word,  she  Tvas  intimately 
persuaded  that  her  divine  Son  would  not 
fail  to  perform  the  miracle  in  favor  of  the 
guests,  afid  at  her  request. 

The  Gospel,  except  on  two  occasions, 
does  not  make  further  mention  of  Mary, 
till  the  time  of  our  Lord’s  passion.  The. 
first  is  when  a woman,  enraptured  by 
the  discourses  of  Jesus,  exclaimed, 
“ Blessed  are  the  breasts  that  gave  thef 
suck.”  But  Jesus  immediately  replied, 
“ Blessed  are  those  who  hear  the  Word 
of  God  and  keep  it.”  Jesus  wished  thus 
publicly  to  congratulate  Mary  less  for 
(34) 


1 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

being  his  mother,  than  for  having 
merited  this  honor  by  her  submission  to 
(lie  will  of  God.  Behold,  he  seems  to 
say  to  them,  what  you  should  imitate  in 
my  mother!  The  second  occasion  is, 
when  some  one  came  to  Jesus  whilst  he 
was  instructing  the  people,  and  said  to 
him  that  his  Mother  wras  there ; Jesus 
replied,  looking  round  on  his  disciples, 
u My  mother  and  my  brethren  are  those 
who  hear  the  Word  of  God  and  keep  it.” 

This  answer  wThich,  under  other  cir- 
cumstances, might  seem  stern,  w^as  per- 
fectly mysterious,  and  at  the  same  time 
necessary,  in  relation  to  those  who  Tvere 
listening  to  him.  The  Jews,  to  whom 
he  w^as  announcing  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  regarded  him  as  a mere  man, 
and  were  accustomed  to  say,  “Is  not 
this  the  son  of  Joseph  the  carpenter? — 
Is  not  his  mother  called  Mary? — are  not 

(35) 

r — — 


LIFE  OF  HIE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

his  relatives  amongst  us  ? ” Our  Savior, 
therefore,  would  have  them  regard  him 
not  as  solely  the  son  of  Mary,  but  rather 
that  they  should  recognize  in  his  person 
the  character  of  his  divinity,  which  they 
would  not  acknowledge,  although  he 
clearly  manifested  it  by  his  words  and 
works. 

It  is  certain  that  Mary  followed  Jesus 
in  all  his  journeys,  and  that  she  ac- 
companied the  holy  women  of  whom 
the  Scripture  makes  occasional  mention, 
giving  us  to  understand  that  they  at- 
tached themselves  to  the  person  of  the 
Divine  Redeemer.  How  could  we 
doubt  this,  when  we  find  her  following 
her  Son  amidst  all  his  ignominies,  stand- 
ing at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  ming- 
ling her  tears  with  the  blood  of  her 
Son  ? And,  oh ! during  the  tliree  last 
years  of  the  life  of  Jesus,  how  much  had 
(36) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

her  tender  soul  to  suffer  amidst  every 
species  of  persecution  and  sorrows  that 
man  heaped  upon  her  divine  Son.  But 
Mary  was  always  filled  with  a holy 
resignation — always  inspired  with  sen- 
timents of  entire  subjection  to  God ; 
nay,  in  the  midst  of  all  those  tribulations, 
alarms,  and  insults,  she  proved  herself  to 
be  the  most  perfect  as  well  as  the  most 
admirable  of  mothers.  “ Mary,”  says  a 
pious  waiter,  u was  not  only  a holy  dove 
hiding  herself  in  the  crevices  of  the  rock 
— a pure  Virgin,  chosen  to  feed  with  her 
milk,  and  cradle  in  her  arms,  a heavenly 
guest : she  w-as  likewise  a valiant  w^oman, 
whom  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  place  in 
all  the  situations  and  trials  of  life,  in 
order  that  the  daughters  of  Eve  might 
have  ar  example  to  follow",  and  a model 
to  imitate.”  In  her  hours  of  desolation, 
in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  in  the 

(37) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

judgment  hall,  and  on  Calvary,  the 
mother  of  Jesus  must  have  remembered 
the  words  of  aged  Simeon,  and  she  must 
have  felt  the  sword  of  grief  piercing'  her 
soul.  Oh ! how  truly  might  not  that 
afflicted  mother  have  exclaimed  in  these 
moments — “ All  ye  who  pass  the  way, 
come  and  see  if  there  be  grief  like  nine.” 
0 God  ! at  this  dread  hour  what  a .sacri- 
fice didst  thou  demand  from  the  Mother 
and  Son! 

At  last  the  grand  mystery  of  man’s 
salvation  approaches  its  completion : the 
august  victim  is  on  the  altar.  Jous, 
overwhelmed  with  afflictions,  has  no 
more  blood  to  shed,  and  is  about  to 
breathe  his  last  gasp ; it  is  then  he 
addressed  the  last  words  to  Mary;  he 
bequeaths  his  mother  to  the  w^ell-belo  ved 
disciple,  and  the  well-beloved  disciple  to 
his  Mother:  “ Woman,  behold  thy  son,” 
(38) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

and  tlien,  “John,  behold  thy  mother." 
Such  was  the  last  proof  of  the  immense 
love  of  Jesus  for  men.  He  left  them 
Mary  for  a mother ; for  in  the  person  of 
Saint  John  has  he  not  called  all  mankind 
her  children?  and  ever  since  then  Mary 
has  not  ceased  to  employ  her  all-powerful 
intercession  with  Jesus  Christ  in  our 
behalf,  and  to  discharge  for  us  all,  just 
as  well  as  sinners,  the  duties  of  the 
tenderest  of  mothers. 

When  the  adorable  body  of  Jesus  was 
taken  down  from  the  cross,  his  holy 
Mother  received  it  in  her  arms,  and  upon 
her  knees  was  laid  the  bleeding  and 
mutilated  form  of  the  Man-God.  But, 
oh ! what  was  her  joy,  when  she  beheld 
her  Son  and  her  God  triumphing  over 
the  grave,  and  when,  a little  while 
afterwards,  she  assisted  at  his  glorious 
ascension.  Beholding  the  splendors  of 
(39) 


LIFE  OF  TIIE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MAR’i 

heaven  revealed  to  lier  eyes — beholding 
tlie  ineffable  glories  of  lier  Son,  must  not 
Mary  have  been  the  happiest  of  mothers  ! 

The  Scripture  docs  not  tell  us  that 
Jesus  Christ  appeared  to  his  mother  after 
his  Resurrection  : but  who  could  doubt 
it?  She  was  the  last  whom  he  named 
in  the  hour  of  his  death ; and  surely,  it 
is  only  reasonable  to  suppose  that  she 
was  one  of  the  first  to  whom  he  appeared 
after  his  Resurrection.  After  having 
accompanied  him  to  Jerusalem  with  the 
apostles  and  holy  women,  she  doubtless 
went  with  the  former  into  Galilee,  and 
then  returned  with  them  to  Jerusalem, 
where,  according  to  St.  Luke,  she 
remained  from  the  moment  of  her  Son’s 
ascension  till  the  descent  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  upon  the  apostles. 

When  the  promised  Paraclete  de- 
scended on  the  apostles,  who  persevered 
(40) 


LIFE  OF  'I HE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

unanimously  in  prayer,  she  too  was  pre- 
sent, thus  becoming,  as  it  were,  the 
luminous  column  that  guided  the  first 
steps  of  the  new  born  Church. 

The  Holy  Scriptures  say  nothing  of 
the  late  years  of  Mary.  It  is  thought 
that  she  retired  for  some  years  from 
Jerusalem,  when  the  persecution  broke 
out  which  (about  the  year  44)  compelled 
the  apostles  to  fly  from  the  deicide  city. 
It  would  appear  that  she  went  with 
her  adopted  son,  St.  John,  to  the  city  of 
Ephesus ; and  some  authors  are  of 
opinion  that  she  died  there.  The  most 
commonly  received  opinion  is,  that  she 
expired  in  Jerusalem,  surrounded  by  the 
apostles  and  disciples  of  Jesus. 

Hers  was  less  a death  than  a tranquil 
sleep,  in  which  the  most  perfect  and 
most  humble  of  creatures,  the  best- 
beloved  daughter  of  the  Heavenly  Father, 
(41) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

the  chaste  spouse  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
devout  Mother  of  the  Son,  quitted  her 
long  exile,  to  go  and  take  her  seat  on  a 
hrone  at  the  right  hand  of  Jesus, 
eminently  raised  above  all  the  elect  and 
angels. 

It  is  commonly  believed  that  Mary 
died  on  the  night  of  the  15th  of  August, 
in  the  forty- sixth  year  of  our  era.  Others 
think  that  her  death  occurred  in  the  fifth 
year  of  the  reign  of  Claudius,  i.  e .,  in  the 
798th  year  of  Rome,  or  forty-fifth  of  the 
Christian  era.  Some  say  that  she  lived 
sixty- one  years,  others  fifty- two,  and 
others  sixty- two;  whilst  some  believe  that 
she  passed  seventy-two  years  here  below. 

Whilst  Jesus  Christ  was  crowning  liis 
blessed  Mother  in  heaven,  constituting 
her  queen  of  heaven  and  earth,  the 
mourning  apostles  entombed  her  virginal 
body  in  Gethsemane. 

(42) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MAR i\ 


Three  days  after  her  august  obsequies, 
Thomas,  who  alone  was  absent  at  the 
time  of  her  decease,  returned  from  a 
distant  region.  He  wished  once  more  to 
contemplate  the  features  of  the  Mother 
of  Jesus,  to  gaze  once  more  on  the  living 
ark  of  the  Most  High,  on  the  tabernacle 
of  the  Word  made  Flesh.  Thereon  the 
sepulchre  was  opened ; but  according  to 
St.  John  of  Damascus,  and  the  greater  * 
number  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  Fathers, 
the  sacred  body  was  not  to  be  found.  It 
had  gone  to  be  reunited  to  its  holy  soul, 
and  to  enjoy  never-ending  happiness. 
The  most  pure  and  immaculate  body  of 
the  Virgin  was  not  to  be  a prey  to  the 
corruption  of  the  sepulchre  ; and  accord- 
ing to  the  expression  of  the  hymn  sung 
on  the  Feast  of  the  Assumption,  u Death 
was  not  to  hold  in  its  chains  her  who  had 
given  to  the  world  the  Author  of  life  ” 

(43) 


LIFE  OF  TIIE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

PRAYER. 

0 Virgin,  abyss  of  perfections,  im- 
perishable treasure  of  graces  ! 0 Mary, 
our  all-powerful  Mother,  thou  hope  of 
Christians,  queen  of  angels  and  of  the 
world  ! deign  to  watch  over  us  on  the 
perilous  ways  of  our  sad  pilgrimage,  and 
grant,  we  beseech  thee,  that  we  may  be 
made  partakers  of  the  blessedness  that 
< thou  art  now  enjoying  in  heaven.  Amen,. 


THE  LITANY  OF  THE  BLESSED 
VIRGIN. 

Anthem. 

We  fly  to  tliy  patronage,  0 holy  Mother 
of  God  ! despise  not  our  prayers  in  our 
necessities,  but  deliver  us  from  all  dangers, 
0 thou  ever  glorious  and  blessed  Virgin  ! 
Lord,  have  mercy  on  us. 

Clnist,  have  mercy  on  us. 

(44) 


LIFE  OF  TIIE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

Lord,  liave  mercy  on  us. 

Christ,  hear  us. 

Christ,  graciously  hear  us. 

God,  the  Father  of  Heaven,  have  mercy 
on  us. 

God,  the  Son,  Redeemer  of  the  world, 
have  mercy  on  us. 

God,  the  Holy  Ghost,  have  mercy  on  us. 
Holy  Trinity,  one  God,  have  mercy  on  us. 
Holy  Mary, 

Holy  Mother  of  God, 

Holy  Virgin  of  virgins, 

Mother  of  Christ, 

Mother  of  divine  grace, 

Most  pure  mother, 

Most  chaste  mother, 

Mother  undefiled, 

Mother  inviolate, 

Most  amiable  mother, 

Most  admirable  mother, 

Mother  of  out  Creator, 

(45) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY 


Mother  of  our  Redeemer, 
Most  prudent  virgin, 

Most  venerable  virgin, 

Most  renowned  virgin, 

Most  powerful  virgin, 

Most  merciful  virgin, 

Most  faithful  virgin, 

Mirror  of  justice, 

Seat  of  wisdom, 

Cause  of  our  joy, 

Spiritual  vessel, 

Honorable  vessel, 

Vessel  of  singular  devotion, 
Mystical  rose, 

Tower  of  David, 

Tower  of  ivory, 

House  of  gold, 

Ark  of  the  covenant, 

Gate  of  Heaven, 

Morning  star, 

Health  of  the  weak, 

(4€> 


Fray  for  us. 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY, 


Refuge  of  sinners, 

Comforter  of  the  afflicted, 

Help  of  Christians, 

Queen  of  angels, 

Queen  of  patriarchs, 

Queen  of  prophets, 

Queen  of  apostles, 

Queen  of  martyrs, 

09 

Queen  of  confessors, 

Queen  of  virgins, 

Queen  of  all  saints, 

Holy  Mary,  conceived  without 

original 

sin, 


Lamb  of  God,  who  takest  away  the 
sins  of  the  world,  S 'pare  us , 0 Lord! 

Lamb  of  God,  who  takest  away  the  inss 
of  the  world,  Graciously  hear  us , 0 Lord! 

Lamb  of  God,  who  takest  away  the 
sins  of  the  world,  Have  mercy  on  us,  0 
Lord  ! 

Christ,  hear  us.  Christ,  graciously 
(17) 


LIFE  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 

hear  us.  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us. 
Christ,  ha  Ye  mercy  on  us.  Lord,  have 
mercy  on  us. 

Our  Father,  &c. 

V.  Pray  for  us,  0 holy  Mother  of 
God! 

R.  That  we  may  be  made  worthy  of 
the  promises  of  Clirist. 

PRAYER. 

Pour  forth,  we  beseech  thee,  0 Lord  ! 
thy  grace  into  our  hearts,  that  we,  to 
whom  the  incarnation  of  Christ,  thy  Son, 
was  made  known  by  the  message  of  an 
angel,  may,  by  his  passion  and  cross,  be 
brought  to  the  glory  of  his  resurrection 
through  the  same  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord 
Amen. 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK, 

APOSTLE  OE  IRELAND. 


TN  the  year  of  Christ  387,  in  the  city 
of  Boulogne-sur-Mer,  Calpurnius 
and  Conchessa  had  born  to  them  a son, 
who  received  the  name  of  Patrick.  At 
this  period,  the  light  of  the  Gospel  had 
not  appeared  in  Ireland,  whose  inhabi- 
tants were  addicted  to  the  superstitions 
of  the  Druids,  and  worshipped  the  sun. 
Human  sacrifices  to  imaginary  deities  and 
the  adoration  of  forests  and  rivers  pre- 
vailed throughout  the  whole  island.  The 
grand  work  of  preaching  the  tidings  of 
salvation  to  the  Irish  people  was  reserved 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

by  God  fo’r  the  son  of  Calpuri/ius,  the 
Apostle  of  the  Irish  race. 

When  St.  Patrick  had  attained  his  six- 
teenth year,  Niell  of  the  Nine  Hostages, 
monarch  of  Ireland,  was  engaged  in  a 
predatory  incursion  on  the  shores  of 
Gaul.  During  one  of  these  marauding 
expeditions,  in  403,  the  future  Apostle  of 
Ireland  fell  into  their  hands,  and  was  car- 
ried off  from  his  native  place  to  the  Irish 
shores  as  a slave.  The  youthful  Patrick 
had  been  carefully  brought  up  in  the 
knowledge  and  practice  of  religion  by 
his  father,  Calpurnius,  and  his  mother, 
Conchessa,  who  was  niece  to  St.  Martin, 
Archbishop  of  Tours.  From  his  tender- 
est  infancy,  the  grace  of  God  purified 
and  strengthened  his  soul,  and,  as  he  pro- 
gressed in  years,  Heaven  bestowed  on  him 
those  grand  gifts  which  he  was  one  day  to 
use  in  the  conversion  of  an  entire  nation, 
rsi 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATEICK. 

In  Ireland,  Patrick  was  sold  to  four 
brothers,  one  of  whom,  named  Milcbo, 
struck  by  his  fidelity  in  the  performance 
of  his  duties,  purchased  him  from  the 
others.  This  Milcho  possessed  an  exten- 
sive territory  in  Dalaradia,  now  the 
couuty  of  Antrim,  and  the  young  cap- 
tive was  employed  to  tend  herds  of  sheep 
and  swine  on  the  mountains.  During 
the  entire  period  of  his  servitude,  Patrick 
derived  strength  and  consolation  from 
the  early  lessons  of  piety  which  his  pa- 
rents impressed  on  his  young  heart.  On 
the  lone  hill-tops  of  Ulster,  in  the  frosts 
and  snows  of  winter,  and  in  the  burning 
heats  of  summer,  his  soul  held  unbroken 
communion  with  his  God;  nay, his  condi- 
tion as  a slave  seems  to  have  increased  hi3 
fervor,  and  so  assiduous  did  he  prove 
himself  that  he  rose  before  the  sun  to 
pour  forth  his  prayers  to  God,  and  even 
[3] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

in  the  silence  of  the  night  he  was  wont 
to  pray  a hundred  times  to  the  Lord, 
“ who,”  he  tells  us,  “ had  regard  to  his 
abject  condition,  compassionated  his  youth 
and  ignorance,  and  watched  over  him 
before  he  knew  him.”  His  memory  re- 
tained the  psalms  and  hymns  taught  him 
by  his  parents,  and  whithersoever  his  ser- 
vile occupation  called  him,  whether  to 
the  steep  sides  of  Slieb-mis,  or  to  the 
wooded  vales  of  Antrim,  he  passed  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  day  and  night 
devoutly  reciting  them.  “On  the  moun- 
tain and  in  the  forests,  I arose  before 
dawn,”  says  the  Saint,  “ and  I prayed  in 
the  snow,  the  frost,  and  the  rain,  and  I 
experienced  no  trouble,  nor  was  there 
any  slothfulness  in  me,  because  the  Spirit 
of  God  then  inflamed  me.” 

After  spending  six  years  in  the  state 
of  captivity,  Patrick  had  a vision  which 
M 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

informed  him  that  the  termination  of  his 
slavery  was  approaching.  u Behold,” 
said  the  vision,  “ thou  art  soon  to  go  to 
thy  own  country,  and  a ship  is  ready  for 
thee.”  This  ship  was  at  a distance  of 
two  hundred  miles  from  him  (probably 
in  some  of  the  southern  parts  of  Ireland), 
and,  guided  by  the  providence  of  the 
Almighty,  the  saint  arose,  and  fled  from 
the  bondage  of  Milcho. 

Arrived  at  the  place  where  the  ship 
lay,  he  applied  to  the  master  for  a pas- 
sage ; but  the  latter  grew  angry,  and  said, 
“ Do  not  venture  to  come  with  us.”  “ On 
hearing  this,”  says  the  Saint,  UI  went  to 
the  cabin  to  pray,  and,  before  I had  finish- 
ed my  prayer,  I heard  one  of  the  men  say- 
ing to  me,  u Come  quickly,  come,  we  re- 
ceive thee  on  faith  / be  our  friend  just  as 
it  may  be  agreeable  to  you  ! ’ We  then  set 
sail,  and  after  three  days  reached  the 
• [51 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

land.”  His  companions  on  the  voyago 
were,  it  would  appear,  some  French 
merchants  who  had  been  trading  in  Ire- 
land, and  they  landed  with  him  at  Tre- 
guier,  in  Brittany.  He  was  still  twenty- 
eight  days’  journey  from  his  natal  place, 
and  he  and  his  companions  had  well- 
nigh  perished  of  hunger  whilst  travelling 
through  a country  laid  waste  by  uncivi- 
lized tribes  of  Franks  and  Saxons.  The 
people  who  travelled  with  him,  finding 
themselves  in  the  direst  extremity,  called 
on  him  in  the  name  of  the  God  of  the  Chris- 
tians to  procure  them  food.  The  Saint 
exhorted  them  to  turn  with  all  their 
hearts  and  souls  to  the  true  God,  and 
told  them  that  they  should  not  want 
anything.  Patrick  prayed,  and,  lo ! a 
herd  of  swine  appeared  in  view,  and,  after 
killing  some  of  them,  the  famished  travel- 
lei’s  tamed  two  nights  to  refresh  them- 
[6] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

selves  and  regain  their  strength.  On  the 
night  of  that  day,  St.  Patrick  tells  us 
that  “ Satan  fell  upon  him  like  a huge 
stone,  rendering  him  incapable  of  any 
motion,  and  that,  when  he  invoked  St. 
Elias , the  splendor  of  the  sun  shone  down 
on  him,  and  restored  his  activity.”  St. 
Patrick  reached  his  native  place  probably 
about  the  year  410,  when  he  had  attained 
his  twenty-second  year.  A few  years 
afterwards,  he  suffered  another  captivity, 
but  of  a period  not  exceeding  sixty  days. 

Having  remained  a short  while  with 
his  friends,  St.  Patrick  proceeded  to  the 
great  school  or  college  of  St.  Martin  near 
Tours,  and  here  it  is  probable  that  he 
was  initiated  in  the  ecclesiastical  state, 
after  he  had  applied  himself  for  four 
years  to  all  the  studies  necessary  to  quali- 
fy him  for  the  clerical  life.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  these  four  years,  lie  returned  to 
[7] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

his  parents,  and  employed  himself  in  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  of  his  calling. 
Soon  afterwards,  he  tells  us  that  he 
had  a vision  of  a man  named  Victorious, 
who  seemed  to  him  to  have  come  from 
Ireland  with  many  letters,  one  of  which 
he  handed  him  bearing  this  inscription  : 
“ The  voice  of  the  Irish.’"  “ Whilst  I 
read,”  says  the  Saint,  “ I heard  the  voices 
of  people  from  the  wood  of  Foclut,  which 
is  near  the  Western  Sea,  crying  out  with 
one  accord : 4 We  implore  thee,  holy 
youth,  to  come  and  walk  still  amongst 
us.’  Ah  ! it  was  the  supplication  of  the 
idolatrous  Irish  beseeching  their  future 
Apostle  to  come  amongst  them  to  preach 
the  tidings  of  salvation  ; and  so  sensibly 
was  the  heart  of  Patrick  touched  by  the 
vision  that  he  l;  awoke,  and  could  read 
no  longer.”  This  vision  occurred  in  418, 
when  Patrick  was  thirty  years  of  age. 

[81 


THE  1AEE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

About  this  period,  the  Saint  placed  him- 
self under  the  guidance  of  St.  German,  the 
illustrious  Bishop  of  Auxerre,  who  sent 
him  to  one  of  the  islands  of  the  Tuscan 
Sea,  where  he  spent  nine  years  in  retire- 
ment and  study.  The  learned  are  of 
opinion  that  the  place  selected  for  Pat- 
rick’s retirement  was  the  island  of  Lerins, 
which  was  a seminary  of  illustrious  and 
holy  bishops.  Returning  to  St.  German, 
he  passed  four  years  with  him,  adminis- 
tering the  sacraments  and  preparing  him- 
self, by  the  study  of  the  Canons,  for  the 
great  work  so  dear  to  his  heart — the  con- 
version of  the  Irish  nation.  It  was  in  the 
island  of  Lerins  that  he  received  the  staff 
called  the  staff  of  Jesus,  which  he  after- 
wards carried  with  him  in  his  apostolic 
visitations  through  Ireland.  This  hal- 
lowed  relic,  covered  with  gems  of  gold, 
was  long  exhibited  to  the  veneration  of 

W 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

the  faithful  in  the  Church  of  the  Holy 
Trinity,  Dublin,  till  a fanatic  stripped  it 
of  its  precious  adornments,  and  cast  it  into 
the  fire. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  St.  Patrick 
accompanied  St.  German  and  Lupus  of 
Troyes  on  a visitation  to  Great  Britain, 
and  that  our  Apostle  aided  them  in  con- 
futing the  heresy  of  Pelagius  in  that 
island.  This  was  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
429,  and  it  is  likely  that  Pope  Celestine 
at  this  period  had  been  made  aware  of 
the  benighted  condition  of  the  Irish  peo- 
ple, and  was  actually  meditating  the  con- 
version of  the  whole  island. 

About  the  beginning  of  the  year  430, 
St.  German  sent  Patrick  to  Rome,  the 
seat  and  centre  of  Christianity,  with  let 
ters  introducing  him  to  his  Holiness  as  one 
in  every  way  qualified  for  the  conversion 
of  the  Irish  people.  A residence  of  six 
'10] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATEtCK. 

years  in  the  country,  a perfect  knowledge 
of  the  language  of  its  inhabitants,  and  a 
life  remarkable  for  sanctity,  were  the  tes- 
timonials which  he  bore  from  St.  German 
to  the  Vicar  of  Christ.  Patrick  was  accom- 
panied by  Segetius,  one  of  St.  German’s 
priests,  on  his  journey  to  Rome,  and  it  is 
likely  that  Segetius  was  instructed  by  his 
master  to  urge  on  Pope  Celestine  the  ex- 
pediency of  selecting  Patrick  for  the  glo- 
rious work.  The  pope  gave  favoring  ear 
to  the  recommendation,  and  he  accord- 
ingly issued  bulls  authorizing  St.  Patrick 
to  be  consecrated  bishop.  At  this  period, 
Palladius  was  in  Ireland  preaching  Chris* 
tianity ; but  whether  it  was  that  the  work 
of  the  conversion  of  the  people  had  been 
especially  reserved  by  God  for  St.  Patrick, 
or  that  Palladius  failed  to  make  deep  im- 
pression on  the  souls  of  the  Irish,  certain 
it  is  that  his  mission  met  with  little  suc- 
[iil 


T 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

cess.  Having  received  the  approbation 
and  apostolical  benediction  of  Pope  Celes- 
tine,  Patrick  returned  to  his  own  country 
to  make  the  necessary  arrangements  for 
his  consecration.  In  the  year  432,  we  find 
that  St*  Patrick  was  still  in  France,  and 
that  he  had  been  visited  by  some  of  the 
companions  of  Palladius,  who  had  come 
to  inform  him  of  the  death  of  the  latter. 
There  was  now  no  time  to  be  lost,  and 
Patrick  was  immediately  consecrated 
bishop,  probably  by  Amandus,  Arch- 
bishop of  Bordeaux,  who  had  been 
driven  from  his  diocese  by  an  incursion 
of  barbarians.  ’Tis  likely  that  the  conse- 
cration took  place  at  Evreux,  but  most 
certainly  in  one  of  the  French  cities.  The 
determination  of  our  Saint  to  leave  home 
and  kindred,  and  all  their  endearing 
associations,  filled  his  relatives  with  alarm, 
and  every  stratagem  was  employed  to 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

divert  him  from  his  grand  purpose.  In 
fact,  a person  was  found  to  denounce  him 
for  some  fault  he  had  committed  when  a 
boy,  in  order  to  prejudice  the  mind  of  the 
consecrating  bishop.  But  all  these  arti- 
fices failed,  for  the  Lord  had  chosen  him 
as  a vessel  of  election  to  go  and  preach 
his  name  to  a race  who  sat  in  the  darkness 
of  death  and  idolatry.  The  mystic  vision 
was  ever  present  to  his  memory,  and  the 
supplication,  “ Come,  holy  youth,  and 
walk  amongst  us,”  now  smote  his  heart 
more  sensibly  than  ever. 

Accompanied  by  two  associates  who 
had  received  clerical  orders  on  the  day  of 
his  consecration,  our  Apostle  sailed  from 
the  shores  of  France  to  Britain,  and 
passing  rapidly  through  Wales,  disem- 
barked, it  is  said,  somewhere  on  the  coast 
of  Wicklow.  Being  repulsed  here  by  a 
chieftain  who  had  opposed  the  preaching 
[13] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

of  Palladium,  he  sailed  for  the  little 
island  called  Holm-Patrick,  near  Skerries. 
Thence  he  continued  his  voyage  to  Ulster, 
for  it  was  his  fondest  wish  to  convert 
Milcho,  to  whom  he  had  been  so  long  a 
menial  and  a slave.  Landing  at  Lecale 
in  the  county  Down,  he  met  one  Dicho, 
lord  of  that  territory,  whom  he  baptized, 
together  with  all  his  family,  and  those 
were  the  first-fruits  of  our  Saint’s  apostle- 
ship.  Dicho  gave  his  barn  to  be  convert- 
ed into  a chapel,  and  in  this  humble 
temple,  called  Sabhall  Padruic,  or 
Patrick's  Barn , the  Holy  Sacrifice  was 
for  the  first  time  offered  by  him  who  was 
sent  to  erect  the  cross  on  the  ruins  of 
idolatry  and  superstition.  The  Apostle’s 
visit  to  Milcho  was  fruitless,  for  the  lattei 
was  an  obstinate  heathen,  and  would  not 
receive  the  blessing  that  Heaven  had  sent 
him. 

fU] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

Returning  to  Lecale,  St.  Patrick  preach- 
ed the  Gospel  with  wonderful  success 
throughout  that  district,  and  one  of  his 
chiefest  converts,  to  whom  he  gave  the 
Holy  Scriptures  and  various  sacred  uten- 
sils, subsequently  became  one  of  his  most 
energetic  coadjutors,  and  died  abbot  or 
bishop  of  a portion  of  Antrim,  in  the  year 
497.  This  bishop’s  name  was  Mochoe. 

These  events,  which  foreshadowed  such 
glorious  results  to  the  whole  Irish  race, 
occurred  towards  the  end  of  the  year  432. 
Easter  was  now  approaching,  and  Patrick 
resolved  on  celebrating  it  on  the  plain  of 
Breg,  near  Tara.  Having  landed  at  Colp, 
at  the  mouth  of  Boyne,  the  Apostle  and 
his  companions  proceeded  on  foot  towards 
Tara,  and  were  received  by  a family,  all 
of  whom  he  baptized,  after  instructing 
them  in  the  mysteries  of  Christianity. 

The  son  of  this  family,  Benignus,  devoted 
fis] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATKICK. 


himself  to  the  Saint,  and  followed  him 
whithersoever  he  went,  and  finally  died 
Archbishop  of  Armagh.  He  was  to  Patrick 
wThat  St.  John  wras  to  Jesus  Christ — the 
disciple  dearly  beloved. 

On  the  eve  of  Easter,  Patrick  arrived 
at  Slane,  and,  having  pitched  a tent,  pre- 
pared to  celebrate  the  Paschal  solemnity. 
At  this  moment,  King  Leogaire  and  all 
the  princes  of  the  Irish  were  assembled 
at  Tara,  for  it  was  the  feast  of  Baal-tein, 
or  sun- worship.  The  Druidical  laws  or- 
dained that  no  fire  should  be  lighted  in 
the  whole  country  till  the  great  fire  flam- 
ed up  from  the  royal  hill  of  Tara  ; but  it 
so  happened  that  St.  Patrick’s  Paschal 
light  was  seen  from  King  Leugaire’s 
palace.  Indignant  at  what  he  con- 
ceived to  be  a violation  of  the  law, 
the  king  and  his  courtiers  set  out  to 
punish  the  offenders,  and  the  Apostle 
[16] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 


was  then  ordered  to  appear  in  the  loyal 
presence  to  give  an  account  of  his  pro- 
ceedings. Of  the  courtiers  none  rose  to 
welcome  the  Saint  except  Here,  son  of 
Dego,  who  received  the  apostolic  bless- 
ing, and  became  a believer.  Next  day,  the 
Apostle  was  led  before  the  princes  assem- 
bled at  Tara,  and  there  he  preached  Christ 
to  the  worshippers  of  the  sun.  The  Magi  1 
or  priests  of  the  Druids  could  not  gainsay 
the  blessed  tidings  he  announced,  and 
many  of  the  princes,  with  their  families, 
despite  the  obstinacy  of  Leogaire,  em- 
braced the  saving  truths  of  our  holy  reli- 
gion. “ The  sun  which  you  behold,”  said 
the  Saint,  “ by  God’s  decree  rises  and  sets 
for  our  benefit,  but  it  shall  never  reign, 
nor  shall  its  splendor  endure  for  ever;  all 
who  adore  it  shall  perish  miserably.  But 
we  adore  and  believe  the  true  Sun,  who  is 
Christ.”  Dubtach  the  poet  was  the  first 
[17] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

of  the  converts  of  Tara,  and  he  thence- 
forth consecrated  his  genius  to  Christi- 
anity. The  Apostle  continued  to  preach 
luring  the  following  Mon  da}7  to  the  mul- 
titudes who  were  attending  the  celebra- 
tion  of  the  public  games,  and  amongst 
those  whom  he  converted  to  the  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ  was  Conall,  brother  of  Kino: 
Leogaire.  The  work  of  the  nation’s  con- 
version was  now  happily  begun.  Chris- 
tianity was  announced,  with  all  its  bless- 
ings, in  the  high  places  of  the  realm.  The 
kindred  of  royalty,  and  many  of  the  men 
of  genius,  embraced  the  saving  truths  with 
gratitude  and  delight;  and  a heathen 
king,  who  blindly  persevered  in  his 
errors,  feared  to  obstruct  the  Apostle,  who 
was  evidently  sustained  by  a power  hith- 
erto unknown  to  the  priests  of  the  Druids. 
The  scene  witnessed  at  Tara  brings  for- 
cibly  to  our  minds  the  teaching  of  Paul 
[18*] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 


before  tlie  assembled  grandeur  and  wisv 
dom  of  the  Areopagus ; for,  like  Paul,  Pat- 
rick announced:  “Ye  men,  I perceive 
that  in  all  things  you  are  too  supersti- 
tious; for  passing  by,  and  seeing  your 
idols,  I found  an  altar  also,  on  which  was 
written,  1 To  the  unknown  God?  What, 
therefore,  you  worship  without  knowing 
it,  that  I preach  to  you ; for  in  him  we 
live,  and  move,  and  are,  as  some  also  of 
your  own  poets  said.” 

After  the  celebration  of  the  Paschal 
solemnities,  the  Apostle  proceeded  to 
many  other  districts  of  Meath,  in  each  of 
which  he  continued  to  preach  the  Chris- 
tian religion  with  wonderful  success.  His 
fame  had  preceded  him  from  Tara,  and 
vast  multitudes  hastened  to  hear  the  joy 
ful  tidings  of  redemption.  Whitherso- 
ever he  went,  he  was  gladly  received  by 

the  people,  who  erected  churches  at  hia 
119] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

bidding ; whilst  the  chieftains,  whom  he 
conciliated  by  presents,  and  by  taking  on 
him  the  tutelage  of  their  children,  afford- 
ed every  facility  for  the  wide  diffusion  of 
the  Catholic  faith.  Many  of  the  converts 
wrere  ordained  to  preside  over  the  flocks 
so  recently  gathered  into  the  true  fold, 
and  were  subsequently  canonized.  Hav- 
ing erected  a church  at  Drumconrath,  the 
Apostle  advanced  to  the  far-famed  hill  of 
Usneagh,  in  Westmeath,  and  thence  into 
the  county  of  Longford,  followed  by 
grateful  multitudes,  whose  example  ex- 
cited their  compatriots  to  arise  out  of  the 
slough  of  the  old  superstition,  and  put  on 
Jesus  Christ. 

After  spending  as  much  time  in  these 
districts  as  was  required  to  ordain  pastors 
for  the  new  churches,  the  Apostle  proceed- 
ed to  the  plain  of  Moy-Slecht,  near  Fea- 
nagh,  in  the  county  Leitrim,  where  he 
[30J 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 


overthrew  the  idols  called  Crom-cruach, 
and  on  their  ruins' erected  a large  church, 
over  which  he  placed  a priest  named  Bar- 
ban.  These  important  events  occurred 
about  the  year  435.  Immediately  after  this 
period,  we  find  St.  Patrick  at  Croghan,  in 
Connaught,  where  he  baptized  Ethna  and 
Fethlimia,  daughters  of  King  Leogaire. 
After  receiving  these  princesses  into  the 
church,  they  implored  him  to  let  them 
see  Christ  face  to  face,  and,  on  being  told 
that  they  could  behold  him  in  the  Eu- 
charistic sacrifice,  they  thus  besought  the 
Apostle : u Give  us  the  sacrifice  of  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ,  that  we  may 
see  our  Spouse  who  is  in  heaven.”  Pat 
rick  then  offered  the  holy  sacrifice,  and 
administered  the  Eucharist  to  the  royal 
converts,  who  subsequently  took  the  veil 
at  his  hands.  The  Saint  remained  in  the 
various  districts  of  Connaught  for  a con- 
[211 


IHE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 


siderable  period,  catechising  and  baptiz- 
ing: the  vast  multitudes  that  hastened  to 
hear  him.  His  first  synod  was  held  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Elphin,  and  here  he 
consecrated  many  prelates  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  new  churches.  During  the 
Lent  of  this  year  (435),  he  retired  to  the 
mountain  now  called  Cruach-Patrick,  in 
the  county  Mayo,  and  here  he  spent  forty 
days,  praying,  fasting,  and  beseeching  God 
to  prosper  the  great  work  which  was 
now  filling  the  island  with  saints  and 
Christian  temples. 

Coming  down  from  the  mountain,  the 
Apostle  passed  through  all  the  adjacent 
districts,  denouncing  heathen  practices, 
and  exhorting  the  people  to  embrace  the 
Catholic  faith.  Glorious,  indeed,  was  the 
success  of  his  mission ; for,  on  reaching 
Tirawley  at  the  moment  when  the  seven 
sons  of  Amalgaidh  were  disputing  the 
[23] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 


succession  to  the  crown  of  their  deceased 
father,  he  converted  the  seven,  together 
with  upwards  of  twelve  thousand  per- 
sons, all  of  whom  he  baptized  in  the  weU 
of  Enanharc.  It  was  during  his  sojourn 
in  these  regions  that  some  of  the  Druids 
conspired  to  take  his  life ; but  God  frus- 
trated their  designs,  for  Euda,  one  of  the 
converted  chiefs,  and  Connall  protected 
the  Saint  against  the  machinations  of  his 
enemies.  At  this  period,  our  Apostle 
founded  the  See  of  Killala.  From  Ti- 
rawley,  he  proceeded  to  the  river  Moy, 
where  he  converted  Eochad,  son  of  the 
far-famed  King  Dathy.  Fully  seven 
years  were  thus  spent  in  the  province 
of  Connaught,  and  the  apostolic  labors 
of  Patrick  were  crowned  with  the  great- 
est results.  During  these  years,  he  cross- 
ed the  Shannon  three  times,  and,  whither- 
soever he  went,  the  clouds  of  ignorance 
T23] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

and  superstition  disappeared  before  the 
glorious  light  of  the  Christian  faith. 
Having  diffused  the  doctrines  of  the 
Catholic  Church  throughout  the  entire 
province  of  Connaught,  and  erected  such 
churches  as  the  exigencies  of  the  times 
permitted,  the  Apostle  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  province  of  Ulster,  the  scene 
of  his  bondage,  where  God  decreed  that 
he  should  perform  his  grandest  works, 
and  lead  captivity  captive. 

The  Saint  proceeded  from  Connaught 
into  Ulster  about  the  beginning  of  the 
year  442.  During  the  apostolic  labors 
of  which  we  have  been  speaking,  Patrick 
was  assisted  by  Auxilius  and  Isserninus, 
who  came  with  him  into  Ireland,  and 
were  subsequently  consecrated  bishops, 
and  appointed  to  sees  by  the  Apostle  him- 
self. We  now  find  Patrick  preaching  in 
Tyrconnell,  where  he  erected  the  church 

[24] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 


of  Rathcunga.  Passing  thence  along  the 
river  Fin,  he  founded  the  church  of  Do- 
noughmore,  in  the  barony  of  Raphoe, 
whence  he  hastened  into  the  country 
of  Innish-Owen,  where  he  converted  the 
prince  of  that  district,  and  spent  some 
time  with  him  in  the  royal  residence  at 
Ailech.  After  converting  the  inhabi- 
tants  of  these  regions,  he  continued  his 
triumphant  progress  along  the  shores  of 
Lough  Foyle,  till  he  crossed  the  eastern 
side  of  the  Bann,  and  journeyed  into 
Dalaradia,  where  he  erected  many 
churches.  Throughout  the  entire  of 
this  country  he  wras  blessed  with  the 
most  signal  success,  for  he  saw  the  chief- 
tains of  the  people,  wdth  their  families, 
both  women  and  men,  eagerly  embracing 
the  austere  rules  of  Christian  life,  and 
abandoning  all  things  for  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  From  the  districts  of  Mem- 
[25] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

ghan  and  Cremourne,  lie  went  to  Meath, 
and  near  Ardbraccan  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  a church,  over  which  he  placed 
one  of  his  disciples  named  Justin. 
About  this  period  (443)  he  founded 
the  church  of  Dunnach-Sachnall  (Dun- 
shaughlin),  and  appointed  the  Bishop 
Secundinus  to  govern  it.  After  seeing 
Christianity  flourishing  in  this  region, 
he  proceeded  to  Naas,  then  the  residence 
of  the  King  of  Leinster,  where  he  bap- 
tized in  a fountain,  near  the  north  side 
of  the  town,  the  chieftains  Illand  and 
Alild.  In  this  place,  the  preaching  of 
Patrick  was  confirmed  by  miracles. 

Visiting  Kildare,  he  founded  many 
churches,  and  appointed  Auxilius  to 
govern  the  church  of  Killossy,  and  Isser- 
ninus  that  of  Kilcullen.  Passing  into 
the  district  of  Ossory,  he  was  gladly 
received  by  Dubtach,  the  poet  whom  he 
[26] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

converted  at  Tara,  and  who  recoin* 
mended  to  him  one  Fiech  as  eminently 
qualified  to  receive  priestly  ordination. 
This  Fiech  was  subsequently  chief 
bishop  of  the  entire  province  of  Leinster. 
’Twas  probably  at  this  period  that 
St.  Patrick  visited  Dublin,  where  he 
erected  a parochial  church  sacred  to  St. 
Nicholas,  where  now  stands  the  cathe- 
dral under  the  invocation  of  the  Apostle 
himself.  From  Leinster  the  Saint  pro- 
ceeded to  Cashel  (a.d.  415),  where  he 
was  joyfully  received  by  King  Naitfrach, 
whom,  with  his  entire  family,  he  baptized. 
Nowhere  was  his  mission  more  abund- 
antly blessed  than  in  Cashel  and  the 
adjacent  districts,  for  Patrick  spent 
seven  years  amongst  the  people  of  Mun- 
ster, erecting  churches,  ordaining  priests, 
and  consecrating  bishops.  From  Cashel 
the  Apostle  proceeded  into  the  county 

[37J 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

of  Limerick,  where  lie  was  violently 
opposed  by  Olild,  tlie  chieftain  of  the 
now  barony  of  Coonagh ; but  the  obsti- 
nacy of  Olild  was  at  length  overcome, 
and  he  and  his  family  were  baptized. 
Multitudes  hastened  from  Clare  to  see 
the  Saint,  and  hear  the  tidings  he  an- 
nounced, and  they  all  received  baptism 
at  his  blessed  hands.  Whilst  at  Lu- 
achra,  in  West  Munster,  he  foretold  that 
St.  Brendan,  the  patriarch  of  monks,  and 
star  of  the  Western  world,  should  be 
born  in  that  region  many  years  after  his 
own  death.  Setting  out  thence,  he 
visited  the  southern  part  of  the  county 
of  Waterford,  where  he  erected  numer- 
ous churches,  and  appointed  pastors  for 
the  flocks.  Followed  by  grateful  multi- 
tudes, who  came  to  receive  his  parting 
benediction,  he  ascended  a hill,  and,  after 
invoking  the  blessing  of  Heaven  on  the 
[28] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATEICK. 

children  of  regeneration,  he  retraced  his 
steps.  It  was  during  his  sojourn  in 
Munster  that  St  Patrick  wrote  his  cele- 
brated letter  to  Coroticus,  a fierce  pirate, 
who  had  made  a descent  on  the  Irish 
coast,  and  murdered  many  of  the  recently 
converted.  In  this  epistle,  the  Saint 
supplicated  the  pirate  to  release  such 
of  his  people  as  he  had  carried  into 
captivity.  On  the  very  day  after,  the 
chrism  of  confirmation  was  shining  on 
their  foreheads,  and  when  they  wore  the 
white  robe  of  the  neophytes.”  Coroti- 
cus’ would  not  relent,  and  he  and  his 
abettors  were  consequently  excommuni- 
cated, and  thus  estranged  from  Christ. 
After  visiting  many  other  districts,  and 
preaching  the  Gospel  with  great  success, 
particularly  in  the  county  now  known 
as  the  King’s  County,  the  Apostle  gladly 
went  back  to  Lecale,  the  scene  of  his 
[291 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 


earliest  labors,  where  stood  Sabhall,  the 
first  temple  in  which  he  offered  the  holy 
sacrifice  after  his  arrival  in  Ireland.  On 
his  return,  he  narrowly  escaped  being 
murdered  by  a freebooter  named  Maccal- 
dus,  but  God  manifested  his  wrath  to 
this  profligate,  who  wTas  subsequently 
converted,  and  died  in  the  odor  of 
sanctity,  Bishop  of  the  Isle  of  Man.  St. 
Patrick  had  some  notion  of  fixing  his 
permanent  see  near  where  the  town  of 
Louth  now  stands,  and,  while  meditat- 
ing this  design,  he  was  admonished  by 
an  angel  that  the  seat  and  centre  of  his 
juiisdiction  was  to  be  more  to  the  north, 
at  Macha,  since  called  Armagh. 

After  having  remained  for  some  time 
at  the  place  now  called  Ard-Patrick  in 
Louth,  where  he  built  a church,  the 
Apostle  proceeded  to  Drum-Sailech  (the 
hill  of  Sallows),  where  he  determined  to 
[301 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

erect  his  metropolitan  see.  This  region 
was  known  also  by  the  name  of  Ard- 
macha,  or  Macha’s  Hill,  and,  according  to 
God’s  decrees,  it  was  destined  to  become 
the  seat  of  the  Irish  primacy.  We  may 
therefore  date  the  foundation  of  Armagh 
about  the  year  454,  a few  years  after  St. 
Patrick  had  returned  from  Munster.  On 
Macha’s  Hill  he  erected  a cathedral  and 
many  other  religious  edifices,  so  that,  in 
progress  of  time,  Armagh  grew  to  be  the 
ecclesiastical  mistress  and  metropolis  of 
Ireland.  The  whole  district,  including 
the  adjacent  tract  called  Na  Fearta  (of  the 
Miracles),  was  the  gift  of  King  Daire, 
whom  he  converted  in  the  royal  resi- 
dence of  Emmania.  Nor  should  it  be 
forgotten  that  prior  to  this  period  St. 
Patrick  founded  and  governed  the  See  of 
Clogher,  over  which  he  appointed  St* 
Carthen  bishop. 

[31] 


THj  X'E  OF  Sr.  PATRICK. 

Before  establishing  himself  at  Armagh, 
the  Apostle  may  be  said  to  have  evangel- 
ized the  greater  part  of  Ireland,  either  in 
person  or  by  means  of  the  vast  numbers 
of  bishops  whom  he  consecrated  and  the 
priests  he  ordained.  The  ancient  super- 
stition everywhere  faded  away  before  the 
light  of  the  Gospel,  the  Druids’  groves 
and  idols  were  forsaken,  and  the  Holy 
Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  was  offered  on 
thousands  of  altars  sacred  to  the  one  true 
God.  A greater  triumph  than  this  is 
not  recorded  in  the  annals  of  Christi- 
anity. An  entire  nation  cast  away  from 
it  the  prejudices  and  cherished  traditions 
of  ages,  and  gladly  embraced  the  faith  of 
Christ  preached  to  them  by  a bishop 
who  had  been  a miserable  captive 
amongst  them — a man  sent  to  them  with 
the  plenitude  of  power  by  Pope  Celes- 
tine.  Net  from  Palladius,  but  from  Pat- 
[32] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

rick,  did  the  Irish  receive  Christian* 
ity. 

St.  Patrick  now  applied  himself  to  en- 
acting canons  for  the  government  of  the 
Irish  Church,  and  for  this  purpose  he 
held  his  first  synod  at  Armagh,  about  the 
year  456.  From  the  laws  therein  en- 
acted, we  have  every  reason  to  believe 
that  the  Church  of  Ireland  at  this  period 
wTas  fully  provided  with  bishops,  priests, 
deacons,  nuns,  and  all  the  requirements 
of  a great  ecclesiastical  institution.  The 
Book  of  Armagh  asserts  that  the  number 
of  bishops  consecrated  by  the  Apostle 
was  upwards  of  four  hundred’,  and 
the  same  authority  sets  forth  that 
he  ordained  n vast  multitude  of  priests. 
Of  all  the  bishops  who  shared  his 
missionary  labors,  none  was  so  dear 
to  him  as  Beniguus,  who  was  des- 
tined to  be  his  successor  in  the  See  of 
T331 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK 

Armagh.  Next  in  celebrity  to  Benignus 
was  Maccaleus,  from  whom,  at  a subse- 
quent period,  St.  Brigid  of  Kildare  re- 
ceived the  veil.  The  Apostle  had  now 
the  happiness  of  seeing  the  faith  of  Christ 
diffused  throughout  the  entire  island, 
whose  people  gave  thanks  to  God  for  the 
great  blessing  bestowed  upon  them.  The 
faith  delivered  by  Christ  to  Peter,  and  by 
him,  through  an  unbroken  series  of  suc- 
cessors, to  Celestine,  was  that  wdiich 
Patrick  was  commissioned  to  announce  to 
the  heathen  Irish.  Oh  ! how  should  our 
hearts  be  filled  with  joy  when  we  remem- 
ber that  we  are  indebted  to  the  chair  of 
Peter  for  all  these  blessings — when  we  re- 
member  the  benighted  condition  of  our 
ancestors  till  Celestine  sent  Patrick  to  an- 
nounce the  tidings  of  salvation  to  those 
who  were  plunged  in  idolatry  and  super- 
stition ! 

[34] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 


When  the  Apostle  saw  the  Church  of 
Christ  flourishing  in  every  region  of  Ire- 
land, he  set  about  writing  the  remarkable 
book  known  as  his  Confessions.  He  was 
now  grown  old,  and  in  this  work  he  de- 
sired to  leave  a record  of  his  gratitude  to 
God  for  the  mighty  work  he  caused  to 
prosper  in  his  hands.  “ This,”  says  the 
Saint,  “ is  my  confession  before  I die ! ” 

It  is  very  manifest  from  the  Confessions  , 
that  God  was  pleased  to  perform  many 
miracles  by  the  instrumentality  of  the 
Apostle  ; for  he  says,  “ I will  not  conceal 
the  signs  and  wonders  in  which  I was 
aided  by  the  Lord.”  As  he  advanced  in 
years,  he  frequently  resorted  to  the  place 
now  called  Saul,  the  scene  of  his  earliest 
triumph,  where  he  converted  Dicho,  and 
erected  his  first  church.  Finding  that 
the  time  of  his  dissolution  was  nigh,  he 
resolved  to  go  to  Armagh,  and  there  re- 
[35] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 


sign  liis  soul  into  the  hands  of  God,  to 
whom  he  was  so  dear.  Bein^  admonish- 
ed  by  an  angel  that  he  was  to  die  at  Saul, 
the  Apostle  returned  thither,  and  re- 
ceived the  Viaticum  from  the  hands  of 
the  bishop,  Tassach.  The  death  of  our 
glorious  Apostle  occurred  March  17,  a.d. 
465.  The  whole  period  of  his  mission 
was  about  thirty-three  years,  ten  of  which 
he  spent  in  the  archbishopric  of  Armagh. 
The  intelligence  of  the  Saint’s  departure 
out  of  this  world  caused  the  bishops  and 
clergy  to  hasten  from  all  parts  of  Ireland 
to  Saul,  where  his  obsequies  were  cele- 
brated for  twelve  entire  days  and  nights. 
The  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  was  offer- 
ed by  every  bishop  and  priest  who  came 
to  pray  before  the  relics  of  their  grea 
Apostle  The  chanting  of  the  funeral 
psalms  was  continued  uninterruptedly 
for  twelve  days  and  nights  ; and  so  great 
T36] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATKICK. 

was  the  flood  of  light  from  the  innumera^ 
ble  torches  and  tapers  burning  round  his 
blessed  body  that  the  twelve  days  and 
nights  seemed  like  one  long  unclouded 
day  in  and  about  the  church  of  Saul.  By 
some  it  is  asserted  that  St.  Patrick  lived 
to  be  one  hundred  and  twenty  years  of  age, 
but  the  more  probable  opinion  is  that  he 
died  in  his  seventy-eighth  year.  A great 
contention  arose  about  the  place  in  which 
the  remains  of  the  Apostle  were  to  be  in- 
terred ; but  it  was  finally  determined  that 
they  should  be  buried  in  the  church  of 
Downpatrick.  A portion  of  his  relics, 
however,  was  conveyed  to  Armagh-  and 
enshrined  in  his  cathedral,  which,  like  the 
church  of  Down,  thenceforth  began  to  be 
frequented  by  innumerable  pilgrims  from 
every  part  of  Ireland,  and  from  beyond 
the  seas.  In  the  year  1186,  St.  Malachy, 
his  successor  in  the  primacy,  had  a re- 
[37] 


7 


ear€b 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATBICK. 

relation  from  lieaven,  informing  him  of 
the  precise  spot  wherein  the  Apostle's  re^ 
mains  lay,  together  with  those  of  St. 
Columb-kille  and  St.  Brigid. 

The  translation  of  these  relics  is  such 
an  important  fact  in  Irish  history  that 
we  deem  it  necessary  to  record  it  briefly 
in  this  place.  The  body  of  St.  Columb- 
kille  was  translated  from  Iona  to  Down 
in  the  year  876,  and  that  of  St.  Brigid 
was  removed  to  the  same  place  from 
Kildare  a short  time  previous  to  the 
above  period.  St.  Malachy  knew  that 
these  three  great  saints  were  interred 
somewhere  in  the  church  of  Down,  and 
he  earnestly  besought  God  to  enable  him 
to  discover  the  exact  site  of  their  graves. 
Now,  one  night,  while  St.  Malachy  was 
praying  in  the  cathedral,  he  saw  a light 
like  a sunbeam  traversing  the  building, 
till  at  length  it  rested  on  a spot  which  he 
[38] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 


concluded  must  be  the  place  of  the  saints’ 
sepulture.  He,  therefore  immediately  dug 
up  the  earth,  and  discovered  the  bones  of 
the  three  bodies,  all  of  which  were  placed 
in  distinct  coffins,  and  then  consigned 
once  more  to  their  resting-places.  Having 
informed  De  Courcy,  Lord  of  Down,  of 
what  had  occurred,  they  both  despatched 
messengers  to  Pope  Urban  III.,  praying 
him  to  sanction  the  translation  of  the  holy 
relics  to  a more  honorable  place  in  the 
cathedral.  The  pope  consented,  and  sent 
Cardinal  Vivian  to  preside  over  this 
grand  solemnity,  which  was  attended  by 
all  the  ecclesiastics  and  princes  of  the 
country.  The  remains  of  the  three  saints 
were  then  deposited  in  one  grave,  and  it 
wa3  decreed  that  the  translation  should 
be  commemorated  on  the  9th  of  June — 
the  feast  of  St.  Columb-kille. 

The  immediate  successor  of  St.  Patrick 

[391 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

in  the  primacy  was  Benignus,  that  dear 
disciple  to  whom  he  gave  this  name  (the 
Benign)  in  baptism,  because,  says  the 
Book  of  Armagh,  “ he  gathered  the  feet 
of  Patrick  between  his  hands  and  breast, 
and  would  not  remain  with  his  father  and 
mother,  but  cried  unless  he  should  be 
permitted  to  sleep  with  Patrick.”  “ Bap- 
tize him,  and  raise  him  into  my  chariot,” 
replied  the  Apostle,  “ for  he  is  the  heir 
of  my  kingdom.”  St.  Benignus  died,  and 
was  buried  at  Armagh,  after  most  devout- 
ly receiving  i{  the  body  of  the  Lord — the 
pledge  and  guarantee  of  eternal  life,”  from 
the  hands  of  his  successor,  St.  Jarlath. 
St.  Patrick  built  more  than  three  hundred 
churches  in  Ireland,  and  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  those  grand  schools  which,  long 
after  he  had  entered  into  everlasting 
blessedness,  made  Ireland  become  the 
resort  of  scholars  and  saints  from  the 

[40] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATKICK. 

most  distant  regions.  Unlike  many  other 
countries,  Ireland  has  always  been  faith- 
ful to  the  teaching  and  traditions  of  her 
great  apostle,  and  the  religion  which  he 
delivered  to  our  fathers  has  come  down 
to  us  pure  and  undefiled,  despite  the  most 
unrelenting  persecution. 

Oh  ! how  zealously  should  we  love  that 
faith  which  Celestine  sent  Patrick  to 
preach — that  blessed  faith  for  which  our 
predecessors  were  ruthlessly  massacred, 
robbed,  and  exiled  ! Here  we  deem  it 
apposite  to  make  a few  extracts  from  the 
sayings  of  St.  Patrick,  before  closing  this 
notice  of  his  blessed  life. 

“ I had  the  fear  of  God,”  says  the 
apostle,  “as  the  guide,  of  my  journey 
through  Gaul,  Italy,  and  the  islands 
which  are  in  the  Terrene  Sea.  God  be* 
thanked,  I have  been  calling  upon  the 
churches  of  the  Scots  (the  Irish)  to  enter 

[41] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK 

paradise,  in  union  with  the  Roman  Church , 
so  that  they,  as  Christians,  may  unite  in 
the  same  service  as  the  Romans. 

“It  behooves  all  the  church,  at  all 
hours  of  prayer,  to  use  the  very  praise- 
worthy sentence,  1 Kyrie  eleison,  Christe 
eleison’ ; for  all  churches  should  sing, 
4 Kyrie  eleison,  Christe  eleison,  Deo  gra- 
tias.’  ” 

These  extracts  are  taken  from  the 
“Book  of  Armagh,”  written  in  the 
seventh  century,  and  still  extant.  Be- 
sides his  Confessions,  St.  Patrick  wrote 
the  celebrated  epistle  denouncing  Coroti- 
cus,  and  various  canons  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Irish  Church.  It  is  likely 
that  he  compiled  a monastic  rule  similar 
to  that  which  he  himself  followed  at 
Tours  and  Lerins  before  he  was  sent  by 
Pope  Celestine  to  convert  the  Irish.  The 

most  ancient  document  extant  relating  to 
[43] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

our  glorious  apostle  is  a hymn  in  the  Anti- 
phonary of  Bangor,  which  was  brought 
from  Down  to  St.  Columbanus’  monas- 
tery of  Bobio  in  the  Apennines.  This 
manuscript  is  over  a thousand  years  old, 
and  was  removed  from  Bobio  to  the 
Ambrosian  Library  at  Milan  by  Cardinal 
Frederick  Borromeo.  The  crosier  of  St. 
Patrick  (called  the  staff  of  Jesus)  was 
transferred  by  De  Burgo,  Lord  Deputy 
of  Ireland,  from  Armagh  to  the  Church 
of  the  Holy  Trinity  in  Dublin,  a.d.  1180. 
Here  it  was  long  religiously  venerated, 
together  with  many  other  relics,  till  it 
was  publicly  burned  by  Browne,  the 
apostate  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  in  1538. 

PRAYER. 

Hear,  we  beseech  thee,  O Lord,  the 
prayers  which  we  pour  forth  on  this 

'431 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PATRICK. 

solemnity  of  St.  Patrick,  thy  confessor 
and  bishop.  Grant,  we  beseech  thee, 
that  the  intercession  of  his  merits  may 
obtain  for  us  absolution  from  all  our  siua 
through  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 


THE  LIFE 

OF  t 

SAINT  BRIDGET. 


THE  holy  patroness  of  the  Irish 
churches  was  born  at  Faugher,  near  Dun- 
dalk, in  or  about  the  year  of  our  Lord, 
453.  Her  parents  were  of  the  royal  race, 
for  her  father,  Dubtach,  was  closely  allied 
to  Con,  sumamed  of  the  Hundred  Battles : 
and  her  mother,  Brocessa,  belonged  to 
the  illustrious  house  of  O’Connor.  It  is 
quite  certain  that  St.  Patrick  saw  and 
blessed  St.  Bridget,  for  she  must  have 
been  twelve  years  of  age  at  the  time  of 
his  death ; and  it  is  more  than  probable 
that  the  sanctity  of  this  holy  maiden  was 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

known  to  that  glorious  Apostle.  A fact 
stated  in  the  Tripartite  life  of  St.  Patrick, 
confirms  this.  It  is  there  related  that 
St.  Bridget  %was  once  present,  together 
with  vast  multitudes,  listening  to  a sermon 
preached  by  the  Apostle,  and  that  she  fell 
asleep  during  the  discourse,  and  while  in 
this  state  she  had  a vision,  which  revealed 
to  her  the  actual  and  future  vicissitudes  of 
the  Irish  church.  “On  awaking,” says 
the  authority  quoted,  “ St.  Patrick  com- 
manded her  to  tell  what  she  had  seen.” 

At  this  period  she  might  have  been  ten  or 
eleven  years  old.  From  her  ten  derest 
infancy  she  applied  herself  to  the  acquire- 
ment of  sanctity,  and  devoted  every 
moment  of  her  time  to  the  study  and  prac- 
tice of  the  most  austere  virtues.  Admirably 
educated  in  every  branch  that  can  dignify 
a true  Christian,  she  distinguished  herself 
above  all  her  compeers  by  her  singular 
(4) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 


modesty  and  unbounded  charity  to  the 
poor.  One  of  her  earliest  historians, 
Cogitosus  (the  Thoughtful),  takes  special 
pleasure  in  recording  the  wonderful 
charity  of  St.  Bridget,  and  clearly  points 
out  ho  w pleasing  that  charity  was  to  God, 
and  how  by  means  of  it  this  blessed 
maiden  found  favour  in  His  eyes.  Cogi- 
tosus, in  his  record  of  the  simple  and 
patriarchal  times  in  which  Bridget  lived, 
tell  us  that  her  parents  gave  her  charge 
of  their  cows,  and  sent  her  into  the  fields 
to  tend  them  and  assist  them  servants  in 
making  butter.  Now  it  so  happened  that 
there  were  many  poor  people  in  the  dis- 
trict of  Faugher,  and  Bridget,  commiserat- 
ing them,  was*wont  to  bestow  a portion 
of  the  butter  and  milk  on  the  poor,  the 
representatives  of  Jesus  Christ.  On  one 
occasion,  says  Cogitosus,  she  gave  all  the 
butter  she  had  made  to  the  poor,  and  then 
(5) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

with  a firm  confidence  in  God,  besought 
Him  to  bear  her  harmless  with  her  mother. 
God  heard  her  prayer,  and  interposed  so 
miracnlosly,  that  she  was  enabled  to  bring 
home  more  butter  than  all  her  hand 
maidens,  who  thenceforth  began  to  regard 
her  as  the  especial  favorite  of  the  Most 
High.  In  the  exercise  of  such  holy 
practices  Bridget  passed  her  early  years, 
communing  incessantly  with  her  God, 
and  thanking*  Him  for  the  great  blessing 
of  conversion  which  He  had  bestowed 
on  Ireland,  through  the  instrumentality 
of  St.  Patrick.  Her  parents  now  began  to 
think  of  espousing  her  to  some  one  suited 
to  her  position,  and  illustrious  origin, 
and  therefore  communicated  their  inten- 
tions to  her.  Bridget,  however,  preferred 
devoting  her  virginity  to  Jesus  Christ, 
for  she  had  resolved  to  consecrate  herself 

to  Him.  The  parents,  being  ambitious 
(G) 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

of  no  tiling  so  much  as  the  sanctification 
of  their  child,  would  not  thwart  her  holy 
design,  and  they  therefore  allowed  her  to 
repair  to  a disciple  of  St  Patrick,  Macca- 
leus  the  bishop,  who  at  this  period  was 
at  the  hill  of  Usny,  in  AVestmeath.  The 
bishop  commending  her  pious  resolution, 
and,  doubtless,  being  well  aware  that  the 
postulant  who  now  knelt  before  him, 
was  destined  to  shed  lustre  on  the  Irish 
Church,  u clothed  her  with  a white  cloak, 
and  placed  the  white  veil  on  her  venerable 
head.”  The  wooden  platform  of  the  altar 
whereon  she  knelt,  says  Cogitosus,  “ re- 
covered its  freshness,  and  continued  green 
to  a very  late  period.”  At  the  time  of 
her  consecration,  many  of  her  companions 
imitated  her  blessed  example,  and  took 
the  veil  along  with  her.  St.  Maccaleus 
appointed  Bridget  to  preside  over  these 
nuns,  and  it  is  likely  that  they  all  went 
(?) 


LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

to  reside  in  the  district  near  Kilbeggans 
at  a place  known  in  the  ancient  records 
as  Tcghbrighide.  or  Bridget’s  house. 

The  sanctity  of  this  consecrated  virgin 
was  soon  known  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  Ireland,  and  multitudes 
of  young  women  and  widows  repaired  to 
Bridget,  beseeching  her  to  admit  them 
into  her  institution.  The  inconvenience 
of  locating  as  many  in  one  place,  and  the 
vast  amounts  of  good  that  were  to  be 
achieved  by  distributing  so  many  holy 
women  through  various  regions  of  Ire- 
land, assigning  to  them  the  districts  in 
which  they  were  bom,  influenced  the 
Irish  bishops  to  invite  Bridget  to  visit 
then  dioceses,  and  to  found  in  each  of 
them  establishments  like  that  which  had 
now  rendered  her  so  celebrated. 

St.  Mel,  bishop  of  Ardagh,  was  one  of 
the  first  to  invite  Bridget  to  his  diocese 
(8) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 


for  the  purpose  we  have  specified ; and 
the  second  in  all  likelihood,  was  Ere, 
bishop  of  Slane,  with  whom  she  went  into 
Munster.  This  bishop  publicly  pro- 
claimed in  the  synod  held  in  the  plain  of 
Femyn,  that  the  Almighty  had  bestowed 
on  Bridget  the  power  of  working  miracles. 
Like  our  Apostle,  Bridget  may  be  said  to 
have  visited  almost  every  part  of  Ireland, 
and  indeed  the  multiplicity  of  localities 
denominated  Kill-bride,  (Bridget’s  church 
or  cell) is  an  evidence  of  this.  At  Knock- 
any,  in  the  county  Limerick,  we  find  her 
obtaining  the  freedom  of  a captive  from  a 
chieftain,  and  after  the  performance  of 
this  act  of  Christian  charity,  she  appears 
in  south  Leinster,  whence  she  went  to 
pay  a visit  to  her  parents.  Leaving  the 
paternal  roof,  she  proceeded  to  the  plain 
of  Hai,  in  the  county  of  Roscommon^ 
where  she  established  many  communities 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 


according  to  tlie  rule  of  her  institute. 

Here  it  is  necessary  to  state  that  in 
the  earliest  times  of  Christianity,  before 
monasteries  or  nunneries  were  formed,  it 
was  usual  for  the  nuns  solemnly  conse- 
crated by  the  bishops,  to  live  with  their 
relatives  and  friends.  They  subsequently 
established  great  communities,  and  began 
to  observe  strict  enclosure,  that  they 
might  be  more  free  to  live  according  to 
the  holy  spirit  of  their  vocation.  This 
fact  accounts  sufficiently  for  the  journey- 
ing of  St.  Bridget  and  her  nuns  through 
the  various  regions  of  Ireland. 

While  St.  Bridget  was  founding  her 
cells  and  monasteries  throughout  Con- 
naught, Benignus,  the  immediate  suc- 
cessor of  St.  Patrick,  died.  This  was  in 
468.  Benignus  was  succeeded  in  the 
primacy  by  Jarlath.  At  this  period 
Ireland  began  to  be  celebrated  for  its 
(10) 


I 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

ecclesiastical  seminaries,  amongst  the 
most  famous  of  which  were  those  of 
Armagh,  Ardagh,  Louth,  and  that  pre- 
sided over  by  Asicus,  the  bishop,  at 
Elphin.  There  were  communities  of 
holy  women  likewise,  prior  to  the  time 
of  St.  Bridget,  but  it  does  not  appear 
that  they  amounted  to  more  than  two, 
one  in  Tyrone,  and  another  near  Armagh. 

It  would  seem  as  if  God  had  especially 
reserved  for  St.  Bridget  the  grand  work 
of  founding  monasteries  for  women  in 
her  native  land — monasteries  that  were 
destined  to  leave  imperishable  names  in 
the  annals  of  Irish  ecclesiastical  history. 
Lupita,  the  sister  of  St.  Patrick,  was  foun- 
dress of  the  monastery  of  Armagh,  but 
Bridget  was  chosen  by  God  to  excel  the 
sister  of  our  apostle  by  the  number  and 
the  splendor  of  her  institutions. 

Although  St.  Bridget  was  bom  in  the 
(ii) 


THE  LIFE  OE  ST.  BRIDGET. 

North  of  Ireland,  her  family  was  origi- 
nally of  Leinster,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
this  province  thought  that  they  had  strong 
claims  on  her  consideration.  They, 
therefore,  in  the  year  490,  sent  a depu- 
tation to  her  praying  that  she  would  leave 
Connaught,  and  come  and  establish  her- 
self in  the  province  of  Leinster  amongst 
her  own  kindred.  St.  Bridget  complied 
with  the  request,  and  was  joyfully  wel- 
comed at  Kildare  where  a residence  was 
assigned  to  her  and  those  of  her  institute 
who  accompanied  her.  Thus  was  laid 
the  foundation  of  that  far-famed  monas- 
tery which  took  its  name  from  a great 
oak  that  grew  there — Killdara , being  in- 
terpreted, the  cell  or  church  of  the  oak. 

The  piety  of  chieftains  and  princes 
endowed  the  monastery  of  Kildare  with 
grants  of  land  for  its  maintenance,  and 
the  holy  Abbess  was  now  in  a condition 
(12) 

THE  LIFE  OE  ST.  BRIDGET. 

to  exercise  her  cherished  love  of  charity 
to  the  poor.  On  one  occasion  we  find 
her  relieving  the  necessities  of  the  indi- 
gent, by  bestowing  on  them  some  valua- 
ble sacerdotal  vestments  which  used  to 
be  worn  on  the  most  solemn  occasions. 
Her  hospitality  to  strangers  and  particu- 
lary  to  religious  persons,  was  unlimited, 
and  such  was  her  humility  that  she  was 
wont  to  tend  the  flocks  in  the  fields. 
From  every  part  of  Ireland  multitudes 
now  hastened  to  Kildare  to  beseech  her 
intercession,  for  all  regarded  her  as  one 
especially  blessed  by  God.  Many  of 
those  pilgrims  would  not  return  to  their 
homes,  but  chose  rather  to  live  near  the 
Saint,  for  from  her  the  infirm  received 
healing,  the  poor  copious  alms,  and  the 
rich  those  sublime  examples  of  Christian 
life  so  necessary  for  the  attainment  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  In  this'  conflux  of 
(13} 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

the  rich  and  poor,  the  healthy  and  the 
ailing,  originated  the  city  of  Kildare. 

The  number  of  applicants  for  admis- 
sion to  the  monastery  now  became  so 
great  that  St.  Bridget  was  compelled  to 
enlarge  her  first  foundation.  Further- 
more, it  became  necessary  to  provide  ex- 
tensively for  the  spiritual  guidance  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  new  city,  and  a 
bishop  was  accordingly  appointed  to 
preside  over  the  church  of  Kildare. 
This  was  Conlaith,  a holy  recluse, 
who  dwelt  in  a cell  on  the  plain 
of  the  Liffey.  u He  came  in  his 
chariot  to  Bridget,  and  after  staying  a 
few  days  with  her,  was  the  first  bishop 
of  the  city  of  Kildare.”  He  was  conse- 
crated about  the  year  490.  Prior  to  the 
appointment  of  Conlaith,  Nathfroich, 
the  priest,  was  the  spiritual  companion  of 
St.  Bridget,  and  we  are  told  that  he  used 
(14} 


T1IE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

feo  read  for  the  nuns  while  they  weie  tak* 
ing  their  meals  in  the  refectory. 

Kildare  was  not  exalted  to  the  condi- 
tion of  a see,  and  the  Abbess,  Bridget, 
according  to  the  authority  of  Cogitosus, 
was  revered  by  all  the  other  abbesses  in 
Ireland.  Maccaleus  the  bishop,  from 
whom  St.  Bridget  received  the  veil,  died 
in  the  year  of  Conlaitlfs  consecration, 
two  years  after  the  demise  of  St.  Mel,  who 
invited  the  holy  abbess  to  visit  his  diocese 
of  Ardagh. 

The  church  or  cathedral  of  Kildare 
had  a chapter,  and  the  bishop,  together 
with  the  collegiate  body  and  clerical  min- 
isters, used  to  approach  the  altar  by  a 
door  on  the  right  side,  when  about  to 
immolate  the  holy  and  Lord’s  Sacrifice 
u There  was  another  door  on  the  left  side, 
by  which  the  abbess  and  her  nuns  entered 

when  coming  to  enjoy  the  banquet  of  the 
(15) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  great 
aisle  had  a partition  which  divided  the 
males  from  the  females,  and  each  division 
had  a door  peculiar  to  itself  The  dwell- 
ing place  or  monastery  of  the  nuns  stood 
on  one  side  of  the  cathedral,  and  that  of 
the  bishop  and  his  chapter  on  the  other.” 
This  pithy  description  of  the  church  of 
Kildare  written  partly  by  Cogitosus, 
nephew  of  St.  Bridget,  is  quite  sufficient  to 
shew  how  admirably  the  Catholic  ritual 
was  observed  in  the  days  of  our  Saint, 
while  at  the  same  time  it  testifies  to  the 
perpetuity  of  Catholic  faith  in  the  holy 
sacrifice  of  the  altar  and  the  real  presence 
of  Christ  in  the  adorable  Eucharist 
Meanwhile  Catholicity  was  flourishing 
throughout  Ireland,  and  many  of  the 
bishops  who  had  seen  and  conversed  with 
our  glorious  Apostle  had  gone  away  to  re- 
ceive the  eternal  rewards  of  their  labors. 

(16) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 


J arlath  of  Armagh,  Mel  of  Ardagh,  and 
Asicus  of  Elphin,  had  consummated  their 
labors,  and  left  them  names  inscribed  on 
the  calendar  of  the  Irish  Saints.  During 
the  lifetime  of  St.  Bridget,  all  the  Irish 
princes  with  one  exception  had  embraced 
the  saying  faith  of  Christ ; and  the  sole 
exception  to  the  converted  princes  and 
chieftains  was  Lugaid,  son  of  the  monarch 
Leogaire,  who  withstood  the  preaching  of 
St.  Patrick  and  persevered  in  heathenism. 
Heaven,  however,  punished  Lugaid  sig- 
nally, for  he  was  killed  by  lightning  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  508.  The  name  of 
Christ  was  now  glorified  throughout  the 
whole  island ; temples,  seminaries,  and 
monasteries  of  holy  men  and  women  were 
everywhere  springing  up,  and  nothing  re- 
mained of  the  old  superstition,  which,  prior 
to  the  coming  of  Ireland’s  Apostle,  de- 
based and  enslaved  the  souls  of  the  Irish, 
(17) 


j 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET 

This  series  of  grand  events  brings  ua 
down  to  the  beginning  of  the  sixth  cen- 
tury, when  a great  multitude  of  the 
Irish  people  crossed  the  sea  and  settled 
amongst  the  Scots  in  North  Britain,  to 
whom  they  brought  the  blessings  of 
Christianity.  This  immigration  took 
place  about  the  year  of  our  Lord,  503, 
about  three  years  before  the  demise  of 
St.  Maccarthen,  bishop  of  Clogher.  Thus 
were  the  Irish  made  the  medium  of  diffus- 
ing the  inestimable  benefits  of  religion 
and  civilisation  amongst  the  barbarous 
tribes  who  at  that  period  knew  not  the 
true  God. 

In  the  year  519,  Conlaith,  the  first 
bishop  of  Kildare  and  the  intimate  friend 
of  St.  Bridget,  passed  out  of  this  life  to 
receive  the  eternal  reward  of  his  apostolic 
labors. 

The  institutions  of  our  Saint  were  now 
(18) 


I 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BKIDGET. 

to  be  found  in  every  region  of  Ireland, 
and  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  she 
founded  a monastery  at  Armagh.  To 
her  we  may  fairly  attribute  the  origin  of 
the  Bridge  tine  nunnery  in  that  far-famed 
city.  Her  life  was  an  uninterrupted 
series  of  holy  acts,  and  she  seems  to  have 
occupied  herself  entirely  in  promoting  the 
good  of  others.  God  was  ever  present  to 
assist  her  by  His  almighty  interposition ; 
so  much  so  that  the  historian  Cogitosus 
devotes  many  pages  to  record  the  many 
miracles  which  Heaven  was  pleased  to 
perform  through  the  instrumentality  of 
His  chosen  handmaid. 

To  that  spot  where  her  church  is  now 
crumbling  to  decay,  and  where  the  sacri- 
legious innovators  have  left  more  mourn- 
ful traces  of  ruin  than  even  the  wasting 
hand  of  time,  came  multitudes  of  the  poor, 

the  rich,  and  the  infirm,  to  receive  coun 
(19) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET 


Bel  and  solace  from  the  holy  patroness 
of  the  Irish  churches.  In  seasons  ci 
dearth,  she  was  implored  to  plead  the 
cause  of  the  starving  with  Him  who  giveth 
ail  things,  and  lie  hearkened  to  her  sup- 
plications. The  blind,  the  dumb,  and 
the  lame,  obtained  healing  at  her  hands, 
and  an  entire  nation  from  sea  to  sea 
gloried  in  the  living  splendor  that  had 
uprisen  amongst  them. 

The  most  eminent  personages  of  her 
period  were  wont  to  correspond  with  her, 
and  consult  her  on  the  weightiest  matters. 
St.  Ailbe  of  Emly  used  to  visit  her  and 
take  counsel  with  her  on  matters  regard- 
ing the  maintenance  and  advancement  of 
religion.  Gildas  who  taught  at  Armagh, 
and  went  thence  to  preach  Christianity  to 
his  compatriots,  the  Britons  (in  508), 
sent  her  a present  of  a bell  cast  by  him- 
self. This  fact  and  every  other  of  the 
(SO) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET 


same  nature,  may  be  taken  as  a proof  of 
the  hallowed  antiquity  of  all  Catholic 
usages.  St.  Brendan  of  Clonfert  (“  the 
Valley  of  Miracles”),  whose  seven  years’ 
voyages  are  so  famous,  visited  our  saint 
and  conferred  with  her  on  religious  sub- 
ject before  he  sailed  from  Brandon-bay, 
in  554.  These  facts  are  evidences  of  the 
wonderful  sanctity  and  wisdom  of  St 
Bridget. 

Need  we  say  that  the  attention  of  our 
grand  patroness  was  especially  given  to 
cultivating  and  sanctifying  the  souls  of 
her  own  sex,  for  whom  she  provided 
schools  and  shelter  in  the  religious  state  ? 

An  instance  is  recorded  of  her  watch- 
fulness over  male  youth,  which  we  will 
insert  here.  Walking  one  day  with  some 
of  her  community,  she  saw  a youth  named 
Nennid,  running  very  rapidly  and,  as  she 
deemed,  in  an  unbecoming  manner.  This 
(21) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 


youth  probably  belonged  to  the  college, 
founded  in  Kildare  by  the  bishop  Conlaithi 
St.  Bridget  sent  after  the  youth,  who, 
being  asked  by  her  whither  he  was  run- 
ning, replied  sportively,  u I am  running 
to  the  kingdom  of  heaven.”  “I  wish,” 
said  the  saint,  “ that  I deserved  to  run 
along  with  you  to-day  to  that  kingdom  ; 
pray  for  me  that  I may  arrive  there.” 
Nennid,  deeply  affected  by  her  words, 
asked  her  to  pray  for  him.  She  did 
so,  and  the  youth  ever  afterwards  led 
a most  holy  penitential  life.  She  then 
foretold  that  this  Nennid  was  one  day 
destined  to  adminster  to  her  the  last 
sacraments  of  the  Church.  Hearing  this, 
Nennid  resolved  never  to  soil  the  hand 
that  was  to  convey  the  Viaticum  and 
Extreme  Unction  to  the  dying  saint,  and 
he  was  ever  afterwards  known  as  Nennid, 
sumamed  Lamli-gJilan , or  the  clean-handed , 
(22) 


THr.  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGE'!'. 


In  course  of  time  this  Nennid  received 
priest’s  orders,  and  had  his  name  inscribed 
in  the  calendar  of  the  Irish  Saints. 
He  is  said  is  said  to  have  visited  Britain 
and  Borne. 

At  length  the  time  of  Bridget’s  trans- 
lation to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  drew 
nigh.  Finding  that  her  death  was  instant, 
Nennid,  u the  priest  of  prophecy,”  came 
to  administer  the  last  sacraments  to  her, 
and  she  resigned  her  spotless  soul  into 
the  hands  of  her  Bedeemer,  in  the  mon- 
astery of  Kildare.  The  death  of  this 
illustrious  servant  of  God  occurred  on  the 
1st  of  February,  in  or  about  the  year 
523,  a few  years  before  the  birth  of  St 
Columb-Kille.  St.  Bridget  lived  to  be 
seventy-four  years  of  age.  She  is  said  to 
have  written  a Buie  for  the  regulation  of 
the  monasteries  which  she  saw  spread 
throughout  Ireland,  and  all  of  which 

(23) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

looked  up  to  her  as  their  patroness  and 
abbess.  Her  memory  was  universally 
revered,  not  only  by  the  Irish,  but 
hroughout  the  entire  Western  Church. 
Great  indeed  was  the  devotion  paid  to 
St.  Bridget  of  Kildare,  for  we  learn  from 
Hector  Boethius  that  u she  was  cele- 
brated amongst  the  Scots,  Piets,  Irish, 
nay,  and  even  amongst  the  English. 
After  Mary,  the  Mother  of  Christ, 
the  Irish  were  always  wont  to  invoke  St. 
Bridget,  and  the  numerous  churches  un- 
der her  invocation  in  Ireland,  are  so  many 
proofs  of  what  we  have  said.”  Nennid 
composed  a Latin  hymn  in  honor  of  St. 
Bridget,  and  there  is  not  a single  volume 
of  the  old  ecclesiastical  records  of  Ire- 
land, that  does  not  celebrate  her  transcen- 
dent virtues.  Her  name  is  found  in  all 
the  old  litanies  of  the  Irish  saints,  and 
the  people,  for  many  an  age,  knew  her 
(24) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 


by  the  endearing  appellation  of  the 
" Second  Mary.” 

The  relics  of  St.  Bridget  were  en- 
shrined in  the  church  of  Kildare,  which 
for  ages  was  frequented  by  pilgrims  from 
all  parts  of  Ireland  and  Great  Britain. 
Great  were  the  miracles  wrought  through 
the  intercession  of  the  saint  in  behalf  of 
those  who  devoutly  invoked  her.  In 
fact,  the  fame  of  her  sanctity  reached 
Germany,  and  the  people  of  that  country 
cherished  profoundest  veneration  for  her. 
The  life  of  St.  Bridget,  written  by  her 
nephew  and  contemporary,  Cogitosus, 
contains  the  description  of  her  shrine, 
and  we  therefore  condense  it  for  the 
information  of  our  readers. 

“Nor  is  the  miracle  that  occurred  in 
reparing  the  church,  to  be  passed  over  in 
silence,  in  which  repose  the  bodies  of 
both,  that  is,  Bishop  Conlaith,  and  this 
(25) 


THE  Lil.bE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

holy  virgin,  St.  Bridget,  on  the  right 
and  left  of  the  decorated  altar,  deposited 
in  monuments  adorned  with  various  embel- 
lishments of  gold  and  silver , and  gems  and 
'precious  stones , with  crowns  of  gold  and 
silver  depending  from  above.  The  church 
was  adorned  with  painted  pictures , having 
in  them  three  oratories,  large  and  sepa- 
rated by  partitions  wherein  one  partition 
was  decorated  and  painted  with  figures, 
and  covered  with  linen  hangings/7 
This  extract  from  a work  written  in 
the  seventh  century,  gives  us  a very  ade- 
quate idea  of  the  splendor  of  an  Irish 
church  in  this  age  of  faith,  and  shows 
clearly,  that  our  forefathers,  in  accordance 
with  the  teachings  of  the  Church,  zeal- 
ously and  munificently  honored  the  can- 
onized remains  of  their  saints. 

Giraldus  Cambrensis,  the  historian  of 
the  conquest  of  Ireland,  gives  an  elabo- 
(26) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

rate  description  of  the  manuscript  of  the 
Four  Gospels,  written  in  the  time  of  St. 
Bridge!:,  and  preserved  in  Kildare,  where 
Cambrensis  himself  saw  it.  “It  contains,” 
say  he,  “ as  many  pictures  as  pages,  and 
the  longer  I look  on  it  the  more  I am  over- 
whelmed with  admiration ; a work  like 
this  required  the  persevering  assiduity  of 
an  angelic  hand.”  What  glorious  evi- 
dence of  the  piety  and  civilization  of  the 
ancient  Irish  ! even  to  this  day  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  of  the  reliquaries  preserved 
in  Ireland  is  a brass  shoe  or  slipper, 
which,  doubtless,  formerly  encased  a shoe 
of  the  saint.  The  reliquary  bears  this 
inscription — “ St.  Bridget  of  Kildare, 
Virgin  and  Patroness  of  Ireland.”  It  is 
know  as  <5t.  Bridget’s  shoe.  The  city  of 
Kildare  was  long  regarded  as  a sanctuary, 
and  consequently  was  exempted  from 
these  direful  visitations  resulting  from  the 

(27) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

conflicts  of  clans  and  rival  septs.  Hence 
that  church  and  city  escaped  the  plunder- 
ing and  burning  so  frequent  in  Ireland 
during  the  early  ages.  Need  we  say  that 
the  reverence  taught  at  the  mother’s  knee 
and  universally  cherished  for  the  Pa- 
troness of  Ireland,  tended  to  preserve 
every  thing  connected  with  the  memory 
of  our  saint  ? 

The  shrine  containing  the  relics  of  St 
Bridget,  was  preserved  in  the  monastery 
of  Kildare  till  about  the  year  of  our  Lord 
850.  At  this  period  the  Danes  or  North- 
men had  invaded  the  shores  of  Ireland. : 
and  being  .tempted  by  the  richness  and 
splendor  of  the  Catholic  Churches,  laid 
their  sacrilegious  hands  on  the  gold  and 
silver  with  which  the  piety  of  the  chief- 
tains and  people  had  adorned  the  Lord’s 
sanctuary.  The  Annals  of  Innisfallen 
tell  us  that  Banchor,  was  devastated 
(23) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

by  those^heatliens  in  810.  “ They  carried 
away  with  them  the  shrine  of  St.  Corn- 
gall.”  In  the  year  of  our  Lord  830,  the 
Danes  advanced  into  Ulster,  and  “ broke 
and  carried  away  the  shrine  of  St. 
Patrick.” 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  those  fero- 
cious pagans  made  an  incursion  into 
Kildare,  attracted  thither  by  the  gold 
and  silver  shrines  of  St.  Bridget  and  St. 
Conlaith  the  bishop.  “In  835,”  say  the 
Annals  of  Ulster,  “ Kildare  was  plun- 
dered by  the  Gentiles,  and  they  burned 
half  the  church.” 

It  appears  that  Ceallach,  Bishop  of 
Kildare,  took  every  precaution  against 
those  terrible  plunderers  of  the  churches* 
and  he  accordingly  caused  the  shrine  of 
St.  Bridget  to  be  removed  to  Down- 
patrick in  the  year  850.  The  shrine  was 
there  buried  near  the  relics  of  St.  Patrick. 

(29) 


! 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET 


SL  Columbkille  was  interred  in  Iona* 
but  his  relics  were  removed  to  Down- 
patrick  by  Dermod,  the  Abbot  (of  Iona), 
in  851,  and  this  rich  shrine  was  concealed 
near  the  remains  of  St.  Bridget  and 
St.  Patrick.  Thus  did  our  pious  fore- 
fathers venerate  the  relics  of  God’s  cano- 
nized saints  ; and  thus  did  the  three  tute- 
lar saints  of  Ireland  commingle  their 
mortal  remains  in  one  grave.  More  than 
two  centuries  passed  away  before  Hea- 
ven deigned  to  reveal  the  exact  site  of 
their  grave  in  the  Church  of  Downpatrick ; 
but  that  revelation  was  made  to  St. 
Malachy,  a.  d.  1185. 

The  cathedral  of  Downpatrick  was 
adorned  with  exquisite  marble  statues  of 
the  three  tutelar  saints  of  Ireland,  but 
in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII,  a.  d.  1538, 
Grey,  the  Lord-Deputy,  invaded  Ulster, 
plundered  and  burned  the  cathedral  and 
(30) 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  S:I  BRIDGET. 

town  of  Downpatrick.  He  and  his  sac- 
rilegious soldiers  broke  and  defaced  the 
statues  of  Saints  Patrick,  Bridget,  and 
Columbkille.  The  fury  of  the  Reform- 
ers, as  they  styled  themselves,  against  the 
images  and  relics  of  the  saints  knew  no 
bounds,  and  we  are  told  by  an  English 
historian  that  this  Lord-Deputy,  Grey, 
marched  with  an  army  to  Trim  to  destroy 
a statue  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  This  war 
against  the  relics  and  images  of  Christ’s 
saints  was  a revival  of  the  iconoclasm,  or 
image-breaking,  originated  by  Constantine 
Copronimus,  the  Greek  emperor,  who 
was  anathematized  by  the  Church  at  an 
early  period ; and  the  hatred  exhibited 
by  the  Reformers  to  the  relics  of  the 
saints,  was  in  every  respect  like  that  en- 
tertained towards  them  by  the  arch-here- 
tic Vigilantius,  so  powerfully  denounced 
by  St.  Jerome. 

(31) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 


Kildare  was  long  celebrated  as  the 
domicile  of  piety  and  learning,  and  the 
venerable  ruins  of  its  former  glory  are 
evidences  of  the  civilization,  sanctity,  and 
enlightenment  of  our  ancestors.  The 
round-tower,  the  stone  crosses  so  richly 
sculptured,  and  the  crumbling  remains  of 
the  cathedral,  attest  the  hallowed  respect 
which  the  Irish  cherished  for  their  great 
Patroness.  Close  by  the  former  city  of 
St.  Bridget  at  Kilcullen,  was  an  abbey 
founded  by  St.  Iseminus.  Kilcullen  was 
a bishopric  down  to  the  twelfth  century, 
at  which  period  it  was  annexed  to  the 
See  of  Kildare. 

Nor  should  we  omit  mentioning  that 
the  name  of  our  holy  Patroness  is  to 
be  found  in  the  Martyrology  of  the 
Venerable  Bede,  and  in  all  others  since 
the  time  of  her  decease.  She  is  com- 
memorated in  the  divine  office  in  most  of 

(32) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

tlie  churches  of  Germany,  and  in  many 
of  the  French  churches.  One  of  the 
Hebrides,  or  western  islands  of  Scotland, 
was  named  Brigidiani,  from  a renowned 
monastery  erected  there  in  her  honor. 
The  head  of  St.  Bridget  is  said  to  have 
been  preserved  in  the  Church  of  the  Jesu- 
its at  Lisbon. 

We  are  to  give  no  credence,  whatso- 
ever, to  the  fabulous  stories  concerning 
the  perpetual  fire  said  to  have  been  pre- 
served by  St.  Bridget  and  her  nuns  at 
Kildare.  No  mention  of  any  such  fire 
occurs  in  her  lives  written  by  her  nephew 
Cogitosus,  and  others ; and  the  first  allu- 
sion made  to  it  is  to  be  found  in  the 
works  of  Giraldus  Cambrensis,  who  has 
invented  much,  and  exaggerated  grossly. 
Many  and  great  were  the  miracles 
wrought  by  our  holy  patroness,  and 
many  things  did  she  prophesy  concern- 
(83) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

nig  the  vicissitudes  of  the  Irish  Catholic 
Church  Of  the  miracles  she  wrought, 
we  will  here  record  a few  taken  from  her 
life  by  Cogitosus. 

On  one  occasion  a woman  brought  her 
daughter,  who  was  dumb,  to  the  saint, 
that  she  might,  through  her  intercession, 
obtain  the  faculty  of  speech.  As  soon  as 
St.  Bridget  saw  the  girl,  she  thus  ad- 
dressed her  : u If  God  gave  to  thee  the 
power  of  speaking,  wouldst  thou  conse- 
crate thyself  to  his  service  ? ” On  the  in- 
stant, the  girl,  who  was  bom  dumb,  re- 
plied that  she  would,  and  thus  was  heaven 
pleased  to  manifest  its  almighty  power  by 
the  instrumentality  of  the  holy  patroness 
of  Ireland. 

On  another  occasion  a blind  woman 
came,  praying  her  to  intercede  in  her 
behalf,  that  she  might  be  blessed  with 
vision.  The  saint  prayed,  and,  lo  ! the 

(34) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET. 

blind  woman  saw.  After  a while,  she 
who  had  received  healing,  thus  addressed 
the  saint : “ Blessed  Bridget,  shut  mine 
eyes  again,  for  the  farther  I am  removed 
from  worldly  objects,  the  closer  and  more 
intimate  is  my  union  with  my  God.” 
The  request  was  granted,  and  her  eyes 
were  re-closed. 

It  is  said  that  Ninnid,  who  adminis- 
tered the  last  sacraments  to  our  Saint, 
Was  at  Borne  when  the  time  of  her 
dissolution  drew  nigh,  and  that  he  was 
admonished  by  an  angel  to  return  home, 
to  attend  the  dying  Saint.  In  her  last 
moments,  she  thus  addressed  the  weeping 
community  who  surrounded  her.  “ My 
children,  my  dear  children,  behold  the 
hour  I have  long  sighed  for  has  come 
My  Spouse,  Jesus,  calls  me  to  Himself. 
Cherish  for  ever  among  you  the  divine 

love.  Remember  that  you  are  the  disci- 
(35) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BRIDGET 

pies  and  descendants  of  our  great  primate 
and  apostle  St.  Patrick.  Imitate  his 
virtues  and  examples.  Your  labors  are 
few  and  short,  but  their  reward  is  certain 
and  eternal.  Heaven  bless  you,  my  dear 

ones.  My  Jesus,  I go  to  thee” and 

with  this  honey  in  her  mouth,  she  passed 
into  the  embrace  of  her  Divine  Redeemer. 
Her  obsequies  were  celebrated  by  all  the 
bishops  and  clergy  of  Ireland.” 

PEAYER. 

Oh  God,  we  beseech  Thee  to  grant  that 
we  may  profit  by  the  glorious  examples 
and  merits  of  Thy  holy  servant,  our  ad- 
mirable Patroness,  St.  Bridget ! 


m 


THE 


LIFE  OF  SAINT  JOSEPH. 


O St.  John  was  given  the  sublime  mis- 


sion of  announcing  Jesus  Christ,  and 
bearing  testimony  to  his  divinity  before 
men.  To  Joseph  Jesus  Christ  was  in- 
trusted that  he  might  rear  him  up  and 
watch  over  him  from  his  infancy.  John 
was  the  Precursor  of  our  Redeemer,  and 
Joseph  was  his  adoptive  father,  being  the 
spouse  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  Mother  of 
our  Lord. 

We  know  nothing  of  St.  Joseph  except 
what  the  Holy  Ghost  has  been  pleased  to 
communicate  to  us  in  the  inspired  writ- 
ings. He  descended  in  a right  line  from 
the  greatest  kings  of  Juda,  and  the  most 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 


illustrious  of  the  ancient  patriarchs.  But 
he  has  far  grander  titles  than  those  con- 
ferred by  birth  or  lineage — his  transcen- 
dent virtues,  and,  above  all,  his  faith  and 
his  humility.  This  faith  and  humility 
manifested  themselves  in  him  from  the 
earliest  moment  of  the  union  that  he  had 
contracted  with  her  who  was  chosen  to 
be  the  Mother  of  our  Redeemer. 

While  this  immaculate  Virgin  was  still 
bearing  the  divine  Redeemer  in  her 
womb,  Joseph  was  greatly  troubled,  and 
had  made  up  his  mind  to  leave  her. 
Suddenly  there  came  an  angel  of  the 
Lord  to  the  bedside  of  Joseph,  and  thus 
addressed  him:  “ Joseph,  son  of  David, 
fear  not  to  take  unto  thee  Mary  thy  wife, 
for  that  which  is  conceived  in  her  is  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  And  she  shall  bring 
forth  a son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name 
Jesus,  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from 
[2] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 


their  sins.”  Joseph  never  doubted,  for  a 
single  moment,  the  angel’s  word,  and 
proving  himself  to  be  as  humble  and 
docile  as  he  was  full  of  faith,  he  did  what 
he  was  commanded,  and  took  the  Blessed 
Virgin  unto  him. 

When  Mary  was  about  to  give  to  the 
world  the  heaven-sent  Child  who  was  to 
save  mankind  by  delivering  us  from  the 
servitude  of  sin,  Augustus  Caesar  pub- 
lished an  edict  ordaining  a census  of  the 
inhabitants  of  all  the  countries  then  sub- 
ject to  the  Homan  Empire.  According 
to  this  edict,  each  person  was  to  be  regis- 
tered in  his  own  town.  Joseph,  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  imperial  mandate,  set  out  im- 
mediately from  the  city  of  Nazareth  ; and, 
as  he  was  of  the  house  of  David,  he  went 
to  Bethlehem,  the  city  of  David,  in  Juda, 
to  be  there  enrolled  with  Mary  his  spouse. 

God  permitted  that  they  should  not 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  8T.  JOSEPH. 

find  a lodging  in  the  inn,  then  crowded 
with  people  who  had  come  to  be  regis- 
tered, and  they  were,  consequently,  oblig- 
ed to  seek  shelter  in  a sort  of  cavern  that 
served  for  a stable.  Such  was  the  place 
in  which  the  world’s  Saviour  chose  to  be 
born.  Mary  wrapped  the  divine  infant 
in  poor  scanty  clothing,  and  laid  him  in 
a manger.  Soon  afterwards,  while  the 
angels  were  singing  “ Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest  heavejis,  and  on  earth  peace  to 
men  of  good  will,”  the  shepherds  of  the 
neighborhood,  being  admonished  by  a 
celestial  messenger,  repaired  to  Bethle- 
hem to  witness  what  had  come  to  pass, 
and  that  which  the  Lord  had  made  knowm 
to  them. 

They  then  found  Mary  and  Joseph  wTith 
the  infant,  who  was  laid  in  the  manger ; 
and  having  seen  him,  they  were  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  all  that  had  been  told 
[4] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 


them  concerning  this  child.  All  those 
who  heard  the  shepherds  speaking  of 
these  marvels  were  filled  with  admiration. 
“Now,  Mary,”  continues  the  evangelist, 
“ kept  all  these  words,  pondering  them  in 
her  heart that  is  to  say,  her  heart  was 
fall  of  this  great  mystery,  and  she,  more 
than  any  one  else,  rejoiced  at  what  the 
shepherds  said. 

She  did  not  consider  these  great  things 
cursorily,  but  kept  them  locked  up  in  her 
heart  as  the  object  of  her  meditation, 
making  them  the  subject  of  her  most  pro- 
found gratitude  to  him  who  chose  her, 
humble  as  she  was,  to  be  a vessel  over- 
flowing with  divine  grace.  But  what 
must  have  been  the  feelings  of  St.  Joseph  ? 
We  should  be  able  to  enter  into  his  heart 
in  order  to  comprehend  all  that  he  must 
have  felt  then. 

It  would  be  impossible  for  us  to  form 
[5] 


'THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 


an  adequate  notion  of  the  respect  and  the 
Love  with  which  he  adored  the  Saviour 
who  had  condescended  to  be  reputed  his 
son. 

How  faithfully  did  he  comply  with  the 
designs  of  the  Eternal  Father,  who  com- 
missioned him  to  rear  up  the  Word  made 
flesh,  and  watch  over  his  ever-blessed 
Mother  ! “ He,  indeed,”  says  St.  Bernard 

(speaking  of  St.  Joseph),  u was  the  faith- 
ful and  prudent  servant  whom  our  Lord 
placed  over  his  family  to  be  the  support 
and  consolation  of  liis  mother,  his  adop 
tive  father,  and  his  worthy  co-operator 
in  the  execution  of  his  merciful  designs 
Oh ! how  supremely  blest  was  he  who 
not  only  saw  Jesus  Christ,  but  heard  him, 
fondled  him  in  his  arms,  carried  him 
about  with  him,  caressed  him,  fed  him, 
and  thus  partook  of  the  countless  ineffa- 
ble secrets  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  the 
[6] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 

world !”  “ Oh  ! prodigious  elevation ; oh  ! 
incomparable  dignity,”  exclaims  the  pious 
Jerome,  addressing  himself  to  St.  Joseph ; 
“ the  Mother  of  God,  the  Queen  of  heaven, 
calls  Joseph  her  lord;  the  Word  made 
flesh  calls  Joseph  his  father,  and  obeys 
him.  O Jesus  ! O Mary  ! O Joseph  ! you 
form  on  earth  a glorious  trinity,  in  which 
the  august  Trinity  of  Heaven  concentrates 
all  its  complacencies  ! What  can  we  im- 
agine here  below  so  great,  so  good,  or  so 
excellent  ?” 

Notwithstanding  all  the  extraordinary 
graces  which  Heaven  rained  down  on  St 
Joseph,  he  maintained  the  profoundest 
sense  of  humility ; he  lived  in  obscurity 
like  the  meanest  of  men ; he  studiously 
concealed  the  ineffable  privileges  with 
which  he  was  honored,  and  spoke  not  a 
word  of  the  incomprehensible  mysteries 
which  were  about  to  be  accomplished; 

[71 


T 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 

he  sought  not  to  fathom  them,  but  left  it 
to  God  to  manifest  himself  at  the  time 
fixed  by  his  inscrutable  decrees.  He 
thought  only  of  corresponding  with  the 
views  of  Providence  in  his  regard,  and 
applied  himself  solely  to  that  which  con- 
cerned him. 

Although  he  descended  from  the 
ancient  kings  of  Juda,  he  was  fully  sat- 
isfied with  the  lowly  condition  of  his  life 
— a condition  despised  by  the  rich  and  the 
great — and  his  only  ambition  was  to  sup- 
ply, by  the  labor  of  his  hands,  the  com- 
mon wants  of  the  holy  family.  Joseph 
was  the  instrument  employed  by  God  to 
save  the  infant  Jesus  from  the  fury  of 
Herod. 

This  cruel  and  jealous  prince  had  re- 
solved to  massacre  the  innocents,  in  order 
more  surely  to  compass  the  death  of 
Jesus  Christ,  when  an  angel  appeared  to 
[8] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 

Joseph,  and  ordered  him  to  arise  and 
carry  Jesus  into  Egypt.  There  in  that 
strange  land  was  he  to  remain  with  the 
Blessed  Mother  and  the  divine  Babe  till 
ordered  from  on  high  to  go  back.  A 
flight  so  sudden  and  unexpected  nowise 
disconcerted  him.  He  obeyed  on  the 
instant,  without  even  stopping  to  enquire 
at  what  time  he  was  to  return. 

We  can  easily  imagine  all  that  he  had 
to  suffer  when  traversing  vast  deserts 
with  the  divine  Infant  and  his  Blessed 
Mother.  On  this  St.  Chrysostom  remarks 
that  God  treated  St.  Joseph  as  he  is  ac- 
customed to  treat  his  servants : he  sends 
them  trials  to  purify  their  hearts  from  the 
stains  of  self-love,  tempering  their  bitter- 
ness with  the  sweetest  consolations. 

Joseph,”  says  this  holy  Father  of  the 
Church,  “ was  disquieted  whilst  Mary  was 
carrying  the  divine  Infant  in  her  womb, 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 

and  an  angel  of  the  Lord  comes  to  relieve 
him  from  his  state  of  perplexity.  He  is 
overwhelmed  with  joy  at  the  Saviour’s 
birth ; but  this  joy  is  succeeded  by  har- 
rowing fears.  Herod  and  all  Jerusalem 
are  conspiring  against  the  life  of  the 
Infant.  Joy  returned  when  the  Magi 
came  to  adore  and  make  their  offerings  at 
the  manger  where  the  Infant  was  laid; 
but  this  joy  is  troubled  by  a new  terror; 
the  holy  family  must  fly  into  an  unknown 
country.” 

After  the  death  of  Herod,  an  angel  of 
the  Lord  appeared  to  Joseph,  command- 
ing him  to  return  into  Judea  with  the 
infant  and  his  mother.  He  obeyed  with 
his  ordinary  promptitude ; but,  having 
learned  on  his  arrival  that  Archelaus  had 
succeeded  to  Herod,  he  had  reason  to 
apprehend  that  the  son  had  inherited  all 

his  father’s  cruelty.  This  apprehension  it 
[10] 


THE  LITE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 


was  that  caused  him  to  go  into  Galilee 
which  was  governed  by  Herod  Antipas, 
brother  of  Archelaus. 

He  now  chose  for  his  residence  the  city 
of  Nazareth,  where  the  birth  of  Jesus  had 
made  least  noise.  There  he  lived  peace- 
ably, working  at  his  trade,  which  is  com- 
monly believed  to  have  been  that  of  a 
carpenter. 

The  child  Jesus  worked  along  with  his 
reputed  father,  thus  giving  us  a sanctified 
lesson  of  submission  and  obedience. 

Like  a faithful  disciple  of  Moses,  Joseph 
went  every  year  to  celebrate  the  Passover 
at  Jerusalem;  and  as  soon  as  Jesus  had 
reached  the  twelfth  year  of  his  age,  he 
made  his  journey  along  with  his  parents. 
After  the  festival  was  over,  Joseph  and 
Mary  set  out  from  the  holy  city  on  their 
wav  to  Nazareth,  never  doubting  that 
Jesus  was  along  with  the  people  of  their 
[ill 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 

acquaintance.  They  were  not  aware  of 
his  absence  till  they  had  made  nigh  a 
day’s  journey.  They  then  returned  in 
deep  grief  to  Jerusalem. 

After  having  sought  him  for  three 
days  in  Jerusalem,  they  at  length  found 
him  in  the  temple,  seated  in  the  midst  of 
the  doctors  of  the  law,  listening  to  them, 
and  putting  questions  to  them  that  filled 
all  the  by-standers  with  admiration. 
Joseph  and  Mary  could  not  but  be 
astonished. 

“My  son,”  said  the  mother  to  him, 
“ why  hast  thou  acted  thus  to  us  ? See 
how  thy  father  and  I have  sought  thee 
sorrowing.” 

“ Know  ye  not,”  replied  Jesus,  “ that  I 
must  be  about  the  business  that  concerns 
my  Father.” 

By  these  words  he  gave  them  to  under- 
stand that  he  had  appeared  in  public  only 
[12] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 


fco  labor  for  bis  Father’s  glory,  and  to  pre- 
pare the  princes  of  the  synagogue  to 
receive  him,  by  causing  them  to  see  that 
the  oracles  of  the  prophets  regarding  the 
Messiah  were  all  about  to  be  fulfilled. 
Nevertheless,  Jesus,  who  had  not  com- 
municated to  Joseph  and  Mary  his  inten- 
tion of  stopping  in  the  temple  to  obey 
his  Eternal  Father,  was  perfectly  subject 
to  them  in  all  other  things.  Hence  it 
was  that  he  did  not  hesitate  a single 
instant  to  return  with  them  to  Nazareth. 
From  that  moment  the  Scripture  says 
nothing  more  of  St.  Joseph.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  he  died  before  the  time  in  which 
our  Saviour  commenced  his  public  life, 
and  that  he  expired  in  the  arms  of  Jesus 
and  Mary.  For  this  reason  we  should 
constantly  invoke  St.  Joseph  to  obtain 
for  us  a happy  death  and  the  spiritual 
presence  of  Jesus  and  Mary  at  that  dread 
T13] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH. 

moment  which  decides  our  lot  for  eter 
nity. 

PRAYER. 

Great  Saint,  chosen  by  God  to  be  the 
spouse  of  the  most  Blessed  Virgin,  and 
the  guardian  of  the  divine  Son  — O 
thou  who  hadst  the  ineffable  blessing  of 
living  in  closest  intimacy  with  the  Word 
made  flesh  — O thou  who  didst  carry 
him  in  thy  arms,  and  expired  in  his, 
obtain  for  us  that  we  may  never  be  sepa- 
rated from  our  God  in  time  or  in  eternity. 


« 


THE  LIFE  OF  SAINT  PETEK. 


ETER,  son  of  Jon  a,  and  brother  of 


St.  Andrew,  was  born  at  Bethsaida, 
a town  of  Galilee,  and  was  called  Simon. 
He  was  a fisherman,  and  lived  with  his 
wife  and  his  mother-in-law  at  Caphar- 
naum,  on  the  western  extremity  of  the 
Lake  of  Genezareth.  Andrew  having 
heard  St.  John  the  Baptist  (of  whom  he 
was  a disciple)  declare  that  Jesus  Christ 
was  the  Messiah  promised  by  the  prophets, 
wished  to  see  him  and  hear  him.  He 
accordingly  went,  and  brought  with  him 
St.  Peter,  to  whom  our  Lord  immediately 
addressed  these  words : u Thou  art 
Simon,  son  of  Jona:  thou  shalt  be  called 
Cephas  ” ; that  is  to  say,  Peter.  A great 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

mystery  lay  hidden  beneath  these  words, 
as  we  shall  see  hereafter. 

St.  Peter  did  not  attach  himself  to 
Jesns  Christ  at  this  first  interview;  but 
he  visited  him  from  time  to  time,  and 
then  returned  to  his  ordinary  avocations. 
It  was  chiefly  owing  to  a second  vocation 
that  he  became  more  particularly  a dis- 
ciple of  Jesus  Christ.  One  day  while 
our  Lord  was  walking  on  the  bank  of  the 
Lake  of  Tiberias,  he  saw  two  boats,  the 
owners  of  which  were  on  the  strand  wash* 
ing  their  nets.  Being  completely  sur- 
rounded by  the  crowd  that  followed  him, 
he  went  into  one  of  the  vessels  which  be- 
longed to  Simon,  and  then,  putting  off  a 
short  distance  from  the  shore,  he  sat 
down  and  commenced  preaching  to  the 
multitude. 

After  finishing  his  discourse,  he  said  to 
Peter,  “ Launch  out  into  the  deep  water 
iP] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

and  cast  thy  nets.”  Simon  Peter  obeyed, 
and  instantly  the  two  boats  were  so  filled 
w ith  fish  that  they  were  nigh  being  sunk. 
Astonished  by  this  miracle,  the  son  of 
Jona  could  not  repress  the  transports  of 
his  faith  and  gratitude : “ Lord,”  he  ex- 
claimed, casting  himself  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus,  “I  am  a sinful  man;  depart  from 
me.”  James  and  John,  the  sons  of  Zebe- 
dee,  his  companions,  were  equally  enrap- 
tured at  sight  of  this  miracle.  Jesus, 
who  knew  their  inmost  thoughts,  then 
said  to  them  : “Follow  me  : hitherto  you 
have  been  fishermen ; but  I will  make  ye 
fishers  of  men.”  Thenceforth  these  men 
of  simple  and  upright  heart  quitted  their 
nets  and  followed  him. 

Nor  was  it  long  till  Peter’s  faith  met 
its  reward.  The  Redeemer  condescended 
to  visit  his  house,  where  he  found  his 
mother-in-law  lying  sick  of  fever.  He 
T3] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETEB. 

who  rules  as  supreme  Lord  over  all  tilings 
touched  the  hand  of  the  infirm  woman ; 
and  lo  ! the  fever  vanished  ! 

Clement  of  Alexandria  tells  us  that  St. 
Peter  was  baptized  by  the  Lord  himself, 
and  that  he  was  the  only  one  who  receiv- 
ed this  signal  favor.  He  likewise  tells  us 
that  it  was  St.  Peter  who  baptized  An- 
drew, James,  and  John. 

From  the  day  on  which  St.  Peter  was 
called  to  the  apostolate,  he  became  inti- 
mately associated  with  his  divine  Master, 
and  never  left  him.  He,  therefore,  wit- 
nessed all  the  miracles  by  which  he  prov- 
ed his  heavenly  mission.  But  we  will 
cite  only  those  in  which  the  Evangelists 
mention  his  presence. 

Having  wrought  the  great  miracle  of 
the  multiplication  of  the  loaves,  and  after 
having  dismissed  the  multitude,  who,  to 
attest  their  gratitude,  would  have  carried 

141 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

him  off  and  proclaimed  him  their  king 
Jesus  ordered  his  disciples  to  go  into  a 
boat,  while  he  retired  alone  to  a moun- 
tain to  pray.  Suddenly  a tempest  sprang 
up  and  the  fragile  bark  with  its  crew 
was  on  the  point  of  being  whelmed  in 
the  raging  waters  ; but,  lo  l at  the  fourth 
watch  of  the  night  Jesus  Christ  walks 
towards  them  on  the  waves.  The  appari- 
tion appalled  them,  and,  mistaking  him 
for  a phantom,  they  uttered  a cry  of 
horror : u Be  of  good  heart,”  said  Jesus 
to  them,  a ’tis  I.”  And  Peter,  making  an- 
swer, said : “ Lord,  if  it  be  thou,  bid  me 
come  to  thee  upon  the  waters.”  And  he 
said,  “ Come  ” ; and  Peter,  going  down 
out  of  the  boat,  walked  upon  the  water 
to  come  to  Jesus;  but  seeing  the  wind 
strong  he  was  afraid  ; and,  when  he  began 
to  sink,  he  cried  out,  saying,  “ Lord,  save 
me.”  And  immediately  Jesus,  stretching 
T5] 


THE  LIFE  OF  5T.  PETER. 


forth  his  hand,  took  hold  of  him,  and 
said,  u O thou  of  little  faith,  why  dost 
thou  doubt  ? ” They  both  then  entered 
the  boat,  and  the  tempest  ceased.  All 
those  who  were  present,  seeing  this 
miracle,  approached  Jesus,  and  adored 
him,  saying,  u Thou  art  truly  the  bon 
of  God.”  Peter,  certainly,  was  not  the 
last  to  confess  the  divinity  of  him  who 
commanded  the  winds  and  waves ; but  a 
moment  was  approaching  in  which  he 
was  to  confess  him  still  more  openly. 

Jesus  Christ  had  now  come  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Caesarea  Philippi,  the 
last  town  of  Judea  on  the  north,  situated 
at  the  foot  of  Mount  Hermon,  a portion 
of  the  chain  of  Lebanon.  Here,  in  one 
of  those  familiar  interviews  in  which  he 
took  occasion  to  instruct  his  disciples,  he 
put  this  question  to  them : 11  Whom  do 
men  say  that  I am?”  “ Lord,”  they  an 
[61 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

swered,  “some  say  that  thou  art  John 
Baptist ; others  that  thou  art  Elias ; and 
others  that  thou  art  Jeremias,  or  some  one 
->f  the  prophets.”  “ And  you,’*’  resumed 
Jesus,  “ whom  do  you  say  that  I am  ? ” 
“Lord,”  replied  Peter,  speaking  in  the 
name  of  all  the  disciples,  “ thou  art  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  living  God.”  “ Blessed  art 
thou,  Simon  Bar-Jona” — thus  spake  Jesus 
to  him — “ for  ’tis  not  flesh  and  blood  that 
hath  revealed  this  to  thee,  but  my  Father 
who  is  in  heaven.”  And  then,  to  recom- 
pense the  ardent  faith  of  the  prince  of  the 
apostles,  he  added : “ And  I tell  thee  that 

build^myjjknrch,  against  which-ihe 
powers  of  hell  shall  never  prevail.” 

~~On  this  memorable  day  dn  which  the 
primacy  of  St.  Peter  was  so  evidently  es- 
tablished, this  was  not  the  only  favor 
bestowed  on  him  by  his  divine  Master. 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

Having  now  been  constituted  the  funda- 
mental stone  of  the  terrestrial  church,  he 
was  appointed  to  lead  the  faithful  into 
the  heavenly  city,  for  Jesus  Christ  be- 
stowed on  him  the  keys  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven — in  other  words,  the  power  of 
loosing  and  binding.  In  a word,  he  gave 
to  him,  as  well  as  to  the  other  apostles, 
the  power  of  remitting  or  retaining  sins  in 
confession,  and  this  power  was  to  be  trans- 
mitted through  them  to  their  successors. 

Meanwhile  the  time  was  nigh  at  hand 
in  which  the  Saviour  was  to  consummate, 
on  Calvary,  the  work  of  our  redemption. 
Desiring  to  prepare  his  apostles  for  this 
terrible  scene,  he  began  by  revealing  to 
them  that  he  must  go  to  Jerusalem,  where 
he  was  to  suffer  much  at  the  hands  of 
senators,  scribes,  and  priests;  in  a word, 
that  he  was  to  be  put  to  death,  and  that 
he  would  arise  three  days  afterwards. 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETEB. 

Peter,  listening  only  to  Lis  love  for  Lis 
divine  Master,  began,  according  to  tLe 
expression  of  tLe  Evangelist,  to  u rebuke 
him,”  saying,  “ Lord,  that  shall  never 
happen  unto  thee.”  On  hearing  this, 
Jesus  blamed  him  severely,  and  reproach- 
ed him  for  having  taste  only  for  the  things 
of  earth. 

Peter’s  fault  was  truly  a pardonable 
one,  for  it  sprang  from  love.  Six  days 
afterwards,  says  the  Evangelist,  Jesus 
took  with  him  Peter,  James,  and  John  his 
brother,  and  conducted  them  up  to  a lygh 
mountain,  which  is  commonly  believed  to 
be  Thabor.  There  he  was  transfigured 
before  them;  his  countenance  became 
brilliant  as  the  sun,  and  his  garments  as 
white  as  snow.  At  the  same  time  Moses 
and  Elias  appeared  and  conversed  with 
him.  On  witnessing  such  a glorious 
•pectacle,  Peter  could  not  contain  his  ad* 
[91 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETEE. 

miration  and  joy.  u Lord,”  he  exclaimed, 
it  is  well  for  us  to  be  here ; let  us  make 
three  tabernacles,  one  for  you,  one  for 
Moses,  and  one  for  Elias.” 

Whilst  Peter  was  still  speaking,  a lu- 
minous cloud  enveloped  Jesus,  Moses,  and 
Elias,  and  then  was  heard  a loud  voice 
saying,  u This  is  my  dearly  beloved  Son, 
hear  ye  him.”  At  sight  of  those  tran- 
scendent wonders,  the  apostles  were  over- 
whelmed with  a sort  of  stupor,  and  they 
all  three  fell  with  faces  prostrated  on  the 
ground.  Jesus  then  approached  them, 
and  touching  them  with  his  hand,  said, 
u Arise,  fear  nothing.”  They  looked  about 
them ; Moses  and  Elias  had  disappeared. 
The  first,  the  author  of  the  written  law ; 
and  the  second,  representing  the  prophets, 
or  rather  the  law  and  the  prophets,  in 
their  persons,  had  come  solely  to  render 
homage  to  the  superiority  of  the  new  law, 
[10] 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETEK. 

Their  ministry  was  accomplished;  and 
now  no  one  was  to  be  heard  save  the  Son 
of  God  alone. 

The  Pasch,  the  greatest  of  all  the  Jew- 
ish festivities,  had  now  arrived.  The  ob- 
ject of  this  festival  was  to  symbolize 
everything  that  had  reference  to  the 
sacrifice  of  the  new’  law  and  the  mystery 
of  the  world’s  redemption.  When  night 
had  come,  says  the  sacred  text,  Jesus  sat 
at  table  with  his  twelve  disciples  to  cele- 
brate the  Pasch,  the  last  that  was  to  be 
celebrated  according  to  the  rite  instituted 
by  Moses,  and  the  first  in  which  the  true 
Paschal  Lamb  was  to  replace  that  which 
was  merely  its  figure.  Towards  the  close 
of  the  repast,  Jesus  laid  aside  his  garment, 
and  girded  himself  with  a tow’el;  then, 
having  poured  water  into  a basin,  he  wash- 
ed the  feet  of  his  disciples,  and  dried  them 
with  the  towel  wherewith  he  w7as  girded. 

[Jij 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

Astounding  as  was  this  act  of  humility, 
the  Evangelist  does  not  say  that  any  of 
the  disciples  except  St.  Peter  resisted  it. 
When  it  came  to  his  turn  to  have  his 
feet  washed,  he  thus  evinced  his  surprise : 
<•  Lord,  thou  shalt  never  wash  my  feet ! ” 
“ If  I do  not  wash  thy  feet,”  replied  Jesus, 
“thou  shalt  not  have  part  with  me.” 
“ Lord,”  rejoined  St.  Peter,  with  all  the 
ingenuousness  of  a happy  soul,  “ on  that 
condition  wash  not  only  my  feet,  but  my 
hands  and  head  likewise.” 

Jesus  Christ  had  forewarned  his  dis- 
ciples that  one  of  them  was  about  to 
betray  him.  The  very  thought  of  this 
filled  him  with  sorrow,  and  he  then  bade 
them  adieu  tenderly,  and  exhorted  them 
to  love  each  other  affectionately,  as  lie 
himself  had  loved  them.  All  the  dis- 
ciples of  the  Lord  wept  while  listening 

to  these  words,  and  Simon  Peter  in  par- 
[12] 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  PETES. 


fcicular  was  deeply  affected  by  them. 
“ Lord,”  he  asked,  u whither  goest  thou  ? ” 
Jesus  answered,  u I am  going  where  thou 
canst  not  follow  me  now.”  “ Why,  Lord, 
may  I not  follow  thee  now  ? if  necessary, 
I will  lay  down  my  life  for  thee.”  u Amen, 
I say  to  thee,”  was  our  Lord’s  answer, 
“ before  the  cock  crows  twice,  thou  shalt 
have  three  times  denied  me.”  There  is 
in  this  something  calculated  to  confound 
us.  This  man  of  zeal,  this  apostle  whose 
faith  we  have  seen  manifesting  itself  so 
gloriously — this  apostle  is  going  to  deny 
his  Master.  Ah ! beneath  this  appear- 
ance of  entire  devotion  to  his  sacred  per 
son,  the  eye  of  Jesus  Christ  detected 
some  lingering  trace  of  presumption  and 
self-love  which  must  have  its  chastise- 
ment. But  the  repentance  and  bitter 
grief  that  this  fall  brings  to  the  soul  of 
St.  Peter  will  teach  him  to  cherish  com 
fi?l 


THE  LIFE  OF  5T.“  FETEB. 

ilescension  and  all  necessary  charity  for 
his  brethren. 

We  find  St.  Peter  in  the  Garden  of 
Olives.  He  accompanied  Jesus  with  the 
two  sons  of  Zebedee,  when  the  Lord  re- 
tired to  this  place,  with  soul  sickened 
unto  death.  When  Judas  came  to  a;ive 
the  Redeemer  the  traitor’s  kiss — the  pre- 
concerted signal  by  which  his  enemies 
were  to  identify  him — Peter,  in  the  ardor 
of  his  zeal,  unsheathed  a sword,  and  cut 
off  the  ear  of  the  servant  of  the  high- 
priest.  Doubtless  he  would  have  killed 
him,  had  not  Jesus  interposed.  At  this 
direful  crisis,  all  the  other  disciples  fled 
away  in  terror.  Peter,  however,  clung 
to  his  Lord,  and  followed  him  to  the 
residence  of  Caiphas.  Here  he  sat  down 
in  the  vestibule  with  the  servants  of  the 
high-priest,  waiting  the  issue  of  this 
great  business,  and  following  all  its  sad 
[14] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 


details  with  painfully  anxious  interest. 
During  these  hours  of  agony,  a servant- 
woman  of  the  high-priest  approached,  and 
said,  “You,  too,  were  with  Jesus  of  Gali- 
lee.” Peter  denied  this,  and  answered, 
“ I know  not  what  you  say.”  An  instant 
afterwards,  another  servant,  on  seeing 
him,  said  to  those  who  were  about  her : 
u He  yonder  was  also  with  Jesus  of  Na- 
zareth.” Peter  denied  this  still  more 
energetically,  and  answered,  “I  swear 
that  I do  not  know  this  man.”  Just 
then  the  cock  crew,  but  Peter  heard  it 
not.  A little  afterwards,  one  of  those 
who  were  there,  a relative  of  Malchus, 
whose  ear  Peter  had  cut  off  in  the  Gar- 
den of  Olives,  advanced,  and  said  to  him, 
u Of  a certainty  you  were  along  with 
them,  your  language  betrays  you.”  Then, 
as  it  were  to  put  the  crown  on  his  inex- 
cusable obstinacy,  Peter  pronounced  hor- 
[15] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

rible  imprecations,  and  .repeated  with  an 
oath  that  he  knew  not  the  man.  Just 
. then  the  cock  crew  a second  time.  Then 
it  was  that  the  faithless  disciple  encoun- 
tered the  divine  eyes  of  Jesus.  His 
glance  subjugated  the  apostle’s  heart. 
On  the  moment,  he  beheld  the  depth  of 
his  fall  and  the  magnitude  of  his  crime. 
His  heart  was  melting  in  his  bosom,  and 
he  went  out  into  the  courtyard  to  give 
free  course  to  his  repentant  tears. 

This  abandonment  on  the  part  of  the 
apostles,  and  this  denial  on  the  part  of 
St.  Peter — the  bitterest  ingredients  in 
the  chalice  of  the  Lord’s  sufferings — 
prove  to  us  that  the  Lord  was  pleased  to 
choose  the  weakest  instruments  for  the 
establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  tkt 
Gospel.  They  pi^ove,  moreover,  that  the 
establishment  of  Christianity  is  its  great* 
est  miracle. 

[16] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

Meanwhile,  after  our  Lord  had  been 
overwhelmed  with  injuries  and  insults, 
scourged,  crowned  with  thorns,  spat  upon, 
buffeted,  and  nailed  to  the  cross  on  which 
he  expired,  his  dead  body  was  laid  in  a 
tomb.  Nothing  was  left  undone  to  make 
him  appear  an  object  of  scandal  to  the 
eyes  of  his  apostles ; and  Peter,  like 
the  others,  although  he  had  frequently 
heard  Jesus  speak  of  his  resurrection, 
could  think  of  nothing  but  the  coming 
miracle  that  was  to  set  the  seal  on  all  the 
others  which  had  so  gloriously  signalized 
the  Becleemer’s  life.  But  the  third  day 
after  our  Lord’s  death,  certain  pious  wo- 
men proceeded  early  in  the  morning  to 
the  sepulchre  with  perfumes  that  they 
had  prepared,  and  great  was  their  aston- 
ishment when  they  found  that  the  stone 
had  been  rolled  away  from  its  mouth, 
and  that  the  body  was  no  longer  there 
[17] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

In  the  meantime,  two  persons  utterly  un- 
known to  them  presented  themselves, 
and  recounted  to  them  the  wonders  that 
had  been  operated.  They  then  hastened 
to  relate  these  things  to  the  other  apostles. 
Hearing  this,  Peter  and  John  arose  and 
hurried  to  the  sepulchre.  There  they 
found  nothing  but  the  winding-sheet  and 
some  linen,  which  the  Saviour  had  flung 
off.  St.  John,  speaking  of  this,  says  that 
he  thenceforth  believed  on  the  testimony 
of  his  own  eyes,  and  he  adds  also,  in 
speaking  of  St.  Peter:  “For  as  yet  they 
knew  not  the  Scripture,  that  he  must  rise 
again  from  the  dead.” 

On  the  night  of  the  same  day,  Peter 
saw  the  Jjord  himself ; for,  while  the 
apostles  were  assembled  together  in  a 
chamber  whose  doors  were  locked,  on 
account  of  their  fear  of  the  Jews,  Jesus 
appeared  and  said  to  them,  “Peace  be 
[18] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

with  you.”  He  then  showed  them  his 
pierced  hands  and  opened  side ; and,  after 
saying  a second  time,  “Peace  be  with 
you,”  he  added,  “ As  my  Father  hath 
sent  me,  I also  send  you.”  He  then 
breathed  upon  them,  and  said ; “ Peceive 
the  Holy  Ghost;  whose  sins  you  shall 
forgive,  they  are  forgiven  them ; and 
whose  sins  you  shall  retain,  they  are  re- 
tained.” 

Eight  days  afterwards,  the  disciples 
being  still  assembled  in  the  same  place, 
Jesus  appeared  while  the  doors  were 
locked  as  on  the  former  occasion.  Stand- 
ing in  the  midst  of  them,  he  saluted  them 
with  the  ordinary  salutation,  “Peace  be 
with  you.” 

Peter,  moreover,  with  many  other  dis- 
ciples, was  blessed  by  another  manifesta- 
tion of  the  Lord  on  the  borders  of  the 
lake  of  Tiberias.  They  had  gone  to  fish, 
[19] 


1 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

for  those  laborious  men  had  not  totally 
abandoned  their  toilsome  occupations, 
since  they  were  obliged  to  support  them- 
selves by  the  sweat  of  their  brows.  They 
entered  a boat,  and,  after  laboring  all 
night,  took  nothing.  Morning  having 
come,  Jesus  appeared  on  the  bank,  with- 
out being  recognized  by  his  disciples,  and 
said  to  them,  “ Children,  have  you  nothing 
to  eat  ?”  “ No,”  replied  they.  “ Cast 

your  nets  on  the  right  of  the  boat,”  said 
the  Lord.  They  did  so,  and  they  could 
not  drag  in  the  net,  so  heavily  was  it 
laden  with  fishes. 

John,  seeing  this,  said  to  Peter,  “It  is 
the  Lord !”  The  mention  of  his  name 
was  enough  for  Peter.  He  put  on  his 
clothes,  for  he  was  naked,  and  cast  him- 
self into  the  water  to  go  and  meet  his 
divine  Master,  while  the  other  disciples 
followed  in  a boat.  They  all  sat  down 
m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER, 

to  eat  oh  the  bank  of  the  lake.  After 
the  repast,  Jesus  said  to  Peter,  “ Simon, 
lovest  thou  me  more  than  those  ?”  “ Lord,” 
replied  the  apostle,  “ thou  knowest  I love 
thee.” — “ Feed  my  lambs,”  said  Jesus. 
Jesus  asked  him  a second  time,  “ Simon, 
lovest  thou  me  more  than  those  ?”  “ Yes,” 
answered  Peter,  “I  love  thee,  and  thou 
knowest  it.” — “ Feed  my  lambs.” 

A third  time  did  the  Redeemer  put 
the  same  question  to  Peter.  A profound 
sadness  had  now  seized  the  apostle,  and 
he  answered,  “Lord,  thou  knowest  all 
things — thou  knowest  that  I love  thee.” 
Then  Jesus  said  to  him,  “Feed  my 
sheep.”  By  these  words  he  gave  him 
power  not  only  over  the  mere  faithful, 
but  also  over  the  pastors  themselves. 
w Amen,  amen,  I say  to  thee,  when  thou 
wast  young,  thou  didst  gird  thyself,  and 

didst  walk  where  thou  wouldst;  but 
[21] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

when  thou  shalt  be  old,  tbou  shalt  stretch 
forth  thy  hands,  and  another  shall  gird 
thee,  and  lead  thee  whither  thou  wouldst 
lot.  And  this  he  said,  signifying  by 
what  death  he  should  glorify  God.” 

Jesus  Christ  appeared  once  more,  for 
the  last  time,  to  his  disciples,  before 
ascending  into  heaven.  It  was  then  that 
he  most  signally  gave  them  their  apos- 
tolic mission — “ Go  through  the  whole 
world  . . . preach  the  Gospel  to 

every  creature  . . . and  believe  firm- 

ly that  I will  be  with  you  even  to  the 
consummation  of  ages.  I am  going  to 
send  you  the  gift  of  my  Father  that  has 
been  promised  to  you.  Remain  in  the 
city;  do  not  quit  Jerusalem  till  you  are 
clothed  with  strength  from  on  high.” 
Then,  having  gone  with  them  to  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  he  blessed  them  for 
the  last  time,  and  ascended  into  heavea 
[22j 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

The  apostles  returned  to  Jerusalem,  under 
the  guidance  of  Peter,  to  await  the  com- 
ing of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

As  soon  as  the  apostles  were  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  they  began  to  speak  in 
various  languages.  The  incredulous,  who 
scoff  at  everything,  said  that  they  were 
drunken  men.  Peter  then,  to  meet  their 
incredulity,  showed  clearly  that  this  fact 
was  merely  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy; 
and  his  words  converted  three  thousand 
persons,  who  asked  baptism  at  his  hands. 
A short  time  after  this,  the  preaching  of 
the  prince  of  the  apostles  converted  five 
thousand  persons  more. 

To  the  power  of  the  words  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  put  in  their  mouths  the  apos- 
tles added  the  evidence  of  miracles,  and 
they  loudly  proclaimed  that  it  was  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  that  they 

wrought  them.  Their  persecutors  knew 
[23] 


T 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

not  how  to  answer  them.  To  deny  the 
miracles  was  impossible — all  Jerusalem 
beheld  them ; they  therefore  resolved  that 
the  fame  of  them  should  not  be  diffused 
abroad  through  the  world.  They  conse- 
quently forbade  the  apostles  to  mention 
the  name  of  Jesus  to  any  one.  “ Judge 
yourselves,”  said  St.  Peter  to  them, 
u whether  it  be  just  in  the  eyes  of  God  to 
obey  him  rather  than  you.  As  for  us,  it 
is  impossible  for  us  not  to  speak  of  the 
things  which  we  have  heard  and  seen.” 
Their  judges,  confounded  by  this  answer, 
dismissed  them,  after  threatening  them 
with  punishment.  Once  more  at  liberty, 
they  all  assembled  together,  and  they  all 
celebrated  the  power  of  the  Lord  in  a 
hymn  of  thanksgiving. 

Nothing  could  have  been  more  admi- 
rable  than  the  holy  society  they  had 
formed.  Those  who  possessed  property 

[241 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

in  Louses  or  lands  sold  it,  through  love 
of  poverty  and  in  the  spirit  of  charity. 
They  then  brought  the  money  to  the  feet 
of  the  apostles,  who  distributed  it  amongst 
the  faithful  according  to  their  wants. 
One  day  a man  named  Ananias,  having 
sold  his  lands,  formed  a plan  with  his 
wife,  named  Sapphira,  to  retain  a portion 
of  the  price  which  he  had  received.  He 
then  carried  the  remainder  of  the  sum  to 
the  feet  of  the  apostles,  to  whom  he  said 
that  he  had  not  retained  anything.  It 
was  not  to  man,  but  to  God  himself,  that 
he  lied,  as  St.  Peter  told  him ; and  thus 
his  crime  could  not  go  unpunished.  Pie 
suddenly  fell  dead,  struck  by  an  invisible 
hand,  and  his  wife,  who  came  a few  hours 
afterwards  to  sustain  the  lie,  perished  in 
the  same  manner. 

The  miracles  of  the  apostles  were  mul- 
tiplied day  by  day,  and  those  of  St.  Peter 
T25] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 


in  particular  were  so  signal  that  the  sick 
and  afflicted  were  brought  out  whenever 
he  passed,  in  order  that  his  shadow  might 
fall  on  them,  and  restore  them  to  health 
Witnessing  such  indisputable  miracles, 
the  enemies  of  the  apostles  redoubled  their 
fury,  and  cast  them  into  prison.  Vain 
efforts ! An  ana;el  of  the  Lord  came  to 
deliver  them.  They  raged;  but  they 
always  received  this  answer : “ It  is  better 
to  obey  God  than  to  obey  man.”  They 
were  then  released,  and  went  about  re- 
joicing that  they  had  been  deemed  wor- 
thy to  suffer  this  outrage  for  the  name  of 
their  divine  Master. 

These  persecutions  tended  only  to  in- 
flame still  more  the  zeal  of  the  apostles, 
and  the  number  of  the  faithful  increased 
daily.  There  was  among  the  new  con- 
verts a certain  Simon,  who  was  reputed  to 
be  skilled  in  the  pretended  arts  of  magic. 
[*il 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

This  man,  seeing  that  Peter  and  John 
conferred  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  impo- 
sition of  hands,  furnished  himself  with  a 
sum  of  money,  and  went  to  offer  it  to 
them,  saying,  u Bestow  on  me  the  power 
that  you  exercise,  in  order  that  those  on 
whom  I impose  bands  may  also  receive 
the  Holy  Ghost.”  Odious  traffic ! As 
though  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  were 
marketable  for  a sum  of  gold,  like  vulgar 
merchandise.  This  infamous  proposition 
excited  Peter’s  indignation : “ Let  your 
money  perish  with  you,”  said  he,  “ since 
you  have  believed  that  the  gift  of  God 
could  be  bought  with  money.”  Simon 
saw  his  fault,  and  showed  his  sorrow ; 
but  it  is  doubtful  if  his  sorrow  was 
sincere,  or  at  least  lasting.  His  dis- 
honored name  serves  even  to  this  day 
to  designate  those  who  traffic  in  holy 
things,  as  does  that  of  Judas  to  desig- 
T271 


r 

I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

cate  traitors.  The  former  are  termed 
Simonists 

Peter  undertook  various  journeys 
through  Judea  to  visit  the  faithful,  and 
confirm  them  in  the  faith,  that  is  to  say, 
for  the  purpose  of  giving  them  the 
Sacrament  of  Confirmation.  He  found  at 
Lydda,  a town  of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim,  a 
man  named  Eneas  stretched  on  his  bed 
by  paralysis.  “ Eneas,”  said  the  apostle 
to  him,  “ the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  healeth 
thee,  arise  and  make  thy  bed  ” ; and  im- 
mediately he  arose,  as  strong  and  healthy 
as  he  had  before  been  languid  and  sick. 
The  fame  of  this  miracle  was  soon  diffus- 
ed through  all  the  neighboring  towns, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  Joppa  sent  to 
Peter,  beseeching  him  to  come  and  visit 
them.  When  he  arrived,  they  brought 
him  to  a chamber  where  lay  the  mortal 
remains  of  a woman  named  Tabitha  or 
128] 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER 

Dorcas,  who  was  illustrious  for  her  vir« 
tues  and  good  works.  They  gave  the 
apostle  to  understand  by  their  tears  and 
groans  that  the  deceased  was  deserving 
of  Heaven’s  mercy.  Peter  knelt  to  pray, 
for  he  was  moved  to  pity,  and  as  soon  as 
he  knew  that  God  had  heard  him,  he 
said,  a TaLitha,  arise ! ” and  she  got  up 
on  the  instant,  to  the  astonishment  of  all 
around  her.  This  miraculous  cure  and 
resurrection  produced  abundant  fruits  of 
conversion  throughout  the  whole  coun- 
try. ■ 

Up  to  this  moment  the  Jews  alone 
seemed  to  have  been  called  to  the  faith  ; 
but  the  time  in  which  the  Gentiles,  that 
is  to  say>  the  pagans,  were  to  become 
participators  of  it,  Lad  arrived.  At  Cesa- 
rea  there  was  a centurion  of  Roman 
origin  named  Cornelius,  who  gave  copious 
alms  and  devoted  much  time  to  prayer. 

T29] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

One  day  an  angel  appeared  to  him,  and 
told  him  that  his  alms  had  ascended  in 
the  sight  of  God,  who  wished  to  recom- 
pense him.  “ There  is  at  this  moment  in 
Joppa,”  said  the  angel,  “ a certain  Simon, 
surnamed  Peter,  lodging  in  the  house  of 
another  Peter,  a currier,  near  the  sea. 
Send  to  seek  him ; it  is  he  who  will  teach 
you  what  you  have  to  do.”  Thereon 
Cornelius  immediately  sent  for  St.  Peter. 
Meanwhile,  the  apostle  had  had  a vision. 
He  beheld  the  heavens  opened,  and  an 
immense  sheet  let  down  by  the  four  cor- 
ners descending  towards  the  earth.  On 
this  sheet  was  every  sort  of  animal.  At 
the  same  time  he  heard  a voice  saying, 
“ Peter,  arise,  kill  and  eat.”  “ God  forbid, 
Lord,”  replied  he,  “ that  I should  ever  eat 
anything  common  or  defiled.”  And  then 
the  voice  was  heard  again  saying,  “ Peter, 
call  not  that  defiled  which  God  himself 

m 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  PETES. 

has  purified.”  This  vision  appeared  to 
him  thrice,  and  then  the  great  sheet  was 
taken  back  into  heaven. 

Peter  was  still  occupied  thinking  what 
this  vision  could  mean,  when  the  Spirit 
of  God  said  to  him,  “ Behold,  three  men 
are  seeking  thee:  arise,  make  no  difficulty 
about  going  with  them:  for  it  is  I who 
have  sent  them.”  Peter,  on  meeting  the 
messengers,  immediately  understood  their 
object.  He  therefore  proceeded  to  the 
centurion  at  Joppa,  and  besought  him  to 
hear  the  word  of  God  preached  to  him 
and  his  household.  While  Peter  was 
preaching,  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  on 
the  Gentiles  who  were  listening  to  him. 
The  apostle  then  said,  could  we  refuse 
the  water  of  baptism  to  those  who  have 
already  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well 
as  we  ? He  then  immediately  command- 
ed them  to  be  baptized. 

[31] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

Thus  was  the  line  of  demarcation  be- 
tween the  Gentiles  and  the  people  of  God 
effaced,  and  thus  was  the  faith  given  to 
all  men.  Some  Jews  there  were  who  re- 
proached Peter  for  his  conduct  in  regard 
of  the  Gentiles.  “ Since  God,”  replied  the 
apostle,  “has  accorded  them  the  same 
grace  that  he  has  given  to  us,  who  have 
believed  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
am  I,  weak  mortal,  that  I should  oppose 
myself  to  the  designs  of  God  ? ” These 
words  pacified  them,  and  they  began  to 
glorify  God,  saying,  “ God,  then,  hath  also 
to  the  Gentiles  given  repentance  unto 
life.” 

It  was  about  this  period  that  St.  Peter 
went  to  dwell  at  Antioch,  where  the  faith- 
ful were,  for  the  first  time,  called  Chris- 
tians. Scarcely  had  he  arrived  when 
Herod,  the  king,  caused  him  to  be  arrested. 
Laden  with  chains,  he  was  cast  into  a 
im 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

> 

dungeon,  and  the  tyrant  determined  to 
put  him  to  death.  All  the  Church  mourn- 
ed and  prayed  for  its  chief.  There  was 
now  only  one  night  between  Peter  and  the 
day  of  his  execution.  Nevertheless,  the 
apostle  had  confidence  in  God,  and  he  slept 
tranquilly  amongst  his  guards.  Suddenly 
a heavenly  light  flooded  the  prison.  It  was 
the  liberating  angel  who  came  to  announce 
to  Peter  his  enfranchisement.  In  an  in- 
stant the  chains  fell  from  his  hands,  the 
doors  flew  open  before  him,  and  he  walk 
ed  out  to  rejoin  his  brethren. 

The  Gospel  was  every  day  making  pro 
gress  and  spreading  over  the  world  rap- 
idly. But  some  of  those  who  preached  it, 
having  a hankering  after  Judaism,  pre- 
tended that  one  could  not  be  saved  with 
out  being  circumcised  according  to  th< 
law  of  Moses.  St.  Paul  and  St.  Barnabas, 
who  were  evangelizing  the  Gentiles,  pro- 
[-33] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

nounced  energetically  against  this  doc- 
trine. It  was  resolved,  therefore,  that 
they  should  meet  at  Jerusalem,  for  the 
deciding  of  this  question.  Jerusalem  was 
then  the  centre  of  unity , because  Peter 
was  there . This  was  the  first  council. 
Peter,  who  presided,  then  spoke  thus: 
“ God  put  no  difference  between  us  and 
them  [the  Gentiles],  purifying  their  hearts 
by  faith.  But  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  we  believe  to  be  saved,  in 
like  manner  as  they  also.”  St.  Paul,  St. 
Barnabas,  and  St.  James  supported  this 
grand  and  powerful  voice  of  Catholicity; 
and  it  wras  concluded  that  the  Gentiles 
who  had  come  into  the  Church,  should  not 
be  disquieted  by  the  question  of  circum- 
cision. Never  was  the  supremacy  of  St. 
Peter  over  the  other  apostles  more  clearly 
manifested  than  in  this  celebrated  council 
of  Jerusalem. 

r34] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETEK. 

The  apostles  now  portioned  out  the 
nations  according  to  the  order  in  which 
they  were  to  be  evangelized.  In  this 
grand  division,  St.  Peter  chose  to  preach 
the  faith  to  the  Jews  dispersed  over  Pon- 
tus,  Galatia,  Bithynia,  Cappadocia,  and 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  Asia. 
Whilst  he  was  at  Cesarea,  Simon  the 
magician,  of  whom  we  have  already 
spoken,  proposed  to  have  an  interview 
with  him.  When  they  met,  Simon  com- 
menced to  boast  that  he  could  perform 
every  sort  of  miracle.  A few  words  from 
Peter  were  quite  sufficient  to  confound 
him  on  this  subject : “ He,”  said  the  apos- 
tle, “who  derives  his  mission  from  hell 
works  wonders  that  are  useless  to  every 
one.  Tell  us,  Simon,  what  does  it  avail 
you  to  set  your  statues  in  motion  \ What 
good  do  you  achieve  by  flying  in  the  air  ? 
All  the  miracles  of  Jesus  were  for  the 
[35] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETEB. 

benefit  of  mankind.  He  gave  bearing  to 
the  deaf,  and  sight  to  the  blind.  He 
healed  the  lame,  and  caused  the  dead  to 
arise.  Simon,  dost  thou  comprehend  the 
difference  ?” 

And,  in  sooth,  he  did  comprehend  it,  for 
he  soon  became  a lausdiincr-stock  to  the 

o o 

people  he  had  long  deceived,  so  much  so 
that  he  was  obliged  to  quit  Cesarea,  to 
hide  the  shame  of  his  defeat.  All  those 
who  had  been  his  disciples  now  fell  at 
Peter’s  feet,  and  gladly  abjured  their 
errors. 

From  Cesarea,  St.  Peter  went  to  Tripoli, 
in  Phenicia,  then  to  Laodicea,  and  finally 
to  Antioch.  Simon  had  preceded  him  to 
the  latter  city ; but  the  defeat  sustained 
at  Cesarea  caused  the  people  to  look  on 
him  with  a feeling  of  contempt.  Peter, 
on  the  other  hand,  was  received  most  en- 
thusiastically. He  wrought  a great  many 

[36] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETEE. 

miraculous  cures ; lie  excited  the  people 
to  repent  and  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  and 
within  seven  days  more  than  ten  thou- 
sand persons  were  baptized.  Theophilus, 
the  most  distinguished  of  all  the  denizens 
of  Antioch,  gave  up  his  house  to  the  apos- 
tle, who  converted  it  into  a church,  and 
the  people  erected  the  chair  from  which 
Peter  daily  preached  to  them  the  word  of 
God.  St.  Peter  was  the  first  bishop  of 
Antioch. 

But  it  was  the  will  of  the  Most  High 
that  he  should  fix  his  See  in  Borne.  He 
knew  that,  as  long  as  the  great  capital  of 
the  pagan  world  remained  unconverted, 
Christianity  must  have  a very  precarious 
existence.  He  therefore  embarked  for 
Italy,  visiting  Greece  and  Sicily,  and 
landed  at  Naples.  He  arrived  at  Borne 
in  the  second  year  of  the  reign  of  Clau- 
dius. He  there  preached  the  Gospel  with 
[37] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

so  much  success  that  those  who  heard  him 
besought  St.  Mark,  his  disciple,  to  com 
mit  the  Apostle’s  discourses  to  writing. 
In  compliance  with  their  wish,  Mark 
wrote  the  Gospel  that  bears  his  name. 

A short  time  after  his  arrival  in  Home, 
Peter  consecrated  two  bishops,  Linus, 
who  succeeded  him,  and  Cletus  or  Ana- 
clete,  who  succeeded  Linus.  The  assist- 
ance of  these  coadjutors  permitted  him  to 
absent  himself  from  Rome,  in  order  to  go 
into  the  East.  But  he  one  day  had  a vis- 
ion, in  which  he  heard  Jesus  Christ 
saying,  “ The  time  of  thy  death  approach- 
es, and  thou  must  return  to  Rome.”  He 
obeyed  this  order,  and  went  back  to  the 
imperial  city,  where  Simon  the  magician 
was  now  carrying  on  his  impostures.  This 
seducer  had  deluded  the  people  so  far  that 
they  were  going  to  raise  a statue  to  him 
as  though  he  were  a god.  Nero,  Clau- 
ds] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER, 


dius’s  successor,  fancied  that  the  power 
of  this  man  was  destined  to  eternise  the 
glories  and  empire  of  Rome. 

But  Simon’s  prosperity  was  to  be  short- 
lived, for  Peter,  accompanied  by  Paul,  re- 
cently arrived  at  Rome,  presented  him 
self  to  Nero,  and  reproached  him  for  his 
blind  credulity  in  believing  the  magician. 

Nero  was  astonished  at  the  boldness  of 
the  Apostle,  and  it  is  likely  that  his  faith 
in  Simon  Magus  began  to  be  shaken. 
The  magician  trembled  for  his  credit  and 
glory;  he  therefore  had  recourse  to  au- 
dacity, and  challenged  Peter  to  meet  him 
as  on  the  former  occasion  at  Cesarea,  but 
he  was  defeated.  Simon  undertook  to 
raise  a man  from  the  dead : he  thought 
that  he  had  succeeded,  for  the  dead  man 
moved  his  head,  and  all  the  spectators 
were  enraptured.  “ If  the  dead  man  has 
really  come  back  to  life,”  said  St.  Peter, 
[39] 


I 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

16  let  him  get  up,  walk,  and  speak ; com- 
mand Simon  to  withdraw  from  the  corpse, 
and  you  shall  see  if  the  person  be  living/’ 
Simon  retired,  and  the  body  moved  not. 
St.  Peter  then  knelt  to  pray,  and,  lo,  the 
dead  man  arose  and  walked  ! 

Withal  Simon  did  not  look  on  himself 
as  vanquished.  He  promised  that  he 
would  fly  through  the  air,  and  ascend  to 
heaven  to  sit  beside  Jupiter.  On  the 
appointed  day,  he  flew  in  mid-air  from  the 
hill  of  the  Capitol,  while  Nero  extolled 
his  triumph,  and  insulted  the  two  Apos- 
tles who  were  looking  on.  But  Peter 
prayed  aloud  to  God,  and  commanded  the 
devils  who  had  borne  their  champion 
through  the  air  to  abandon  him ; on  the 
instant  the  magician  tumbled  to  the 
ground,  and  was  killed  full  in  the  sight  of 
all  the  people. 

The  ignominious  death  of  Simon  ex- 

[40] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETEK. 

asperated  Nero’s  hatred  of  the  Christians, 
and  particularly  of  the  two  Apostles. 
He  caused  them  to  be  arrested,  condemned 
to  death,  and  cast  into  prison.  St.  Paul 
was  beheaded,  and  St.  Peter  was  crucified 
like  his  Divine  Master,  of  whom  he  was 
the  representative  on  earth.  Peter  was 
about  eighty  years  of  age ; he  was  bishop 
of  Antioch  eleven  years,  and  bishop  or 
pope  of  Rome  for  twenty-five  years,  less 
six  months  and  nineteen  days. 

The  place  of  St.  Peter’s  martyrdom  was 
the  Janiculum  Mount  at  Rome,  where  the 
spot  of  his  crucifixion  is  still  shown.  The 
Prince  of  the  Apostles  was  crucified  with 
his  head  downwards,  as  he  did  not  deem 
himself  worthy  to  be  crucified  like  his 
Divine  Master. 


PKAYEE. 

O God ! who  hast  glorified  thy  Church 
T41J 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETES. 

by  the  martyrdom  of  thy  glorious  Apostle 
Peter,  grant  that  we  may,  in  all  things, 
follow  the  directions  of  him  by  whom 
was  laid  the  foundation  of  religion. 


St.  Thomas. 


St.  Mary  Maedalene. 


'THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  CATHAKINE  OF  SIENNA 

VIRGIN. 


[A.  D.  1380.) 

ST.  CATHARINE  was  bom  at  Sien- 
na, in  1347.  Her  father,  James  Benin- 
casa,  by  trade  a dyer,  was  a virtuous 
man  ; and,  though  blessed  with  temporal 
prosperity,  always  chiefly  solicitous  to 
leave  to  his  children  a solid  inheritance 
of  virtue,  by  his  example,  and  by  deeply 
.instilling  into  them  lessons  of  piety.  Her 
mother,  Lapa,  had  a particular  affection 
for  this  daughter  above  her  other  chil- 
(8) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE 

dren  ; and  the  accomplishments  of  mind 
and  body  with  which  she  was  adorned, 
made  her  the  darling  and  delight  of  all 
that  knew  her,  and  nro cured  her  the  name 
of  Euphrosyna.  She  was  favored  by  God 
with  extraordinary  graces  as  soon  as  she 
was  capable  of  knowing  him.  She  with 
drew  very  young  to  a solitude  a little 
out  of  town,  to  imitate  the  lives  of  the 
fathers  of  the  desert.  Returning  after 
some  time  to  her  father’s  house,  she  con- 
tinued to  be  guided  by  the  same  spirit. 
In  her  childhood  she  consecrated  her 
virginity  to  God  by  a private  vow.  Iler 
love  of  mortification  and  prayer,  and 
her  sentiments  of  virtue,  were  such  as  are 
not  usually  found  in  so  tender  an  age, 
But  God  was  pleased  to  put  her  resolu- 
tion to  a great  trial.  At  twelve  years  of 
age,  her  parents  thought  of  engaging 
her  in  the  married  state.  Catharine  found 
(4) 

n 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 


them  deaf  to  her  entreaties  that  she 
might  live  single  ; and  therefore  redoubled 
her  prayers,  watching,  and  austerities, 
knowing  her  protection  must  be  from 
God  alone.  Hen/parent^  regarding  her 
inclination  to  solitude  as  unsuitable  to 
the  life  for  which  they  designed  her,  en- 
deavored to  divert  her  from  it,  and  began 
to  thwart  her  devotions^  depriving  her  in 
tills  view  of  the  little  chamber  or  cell 
they  had  till  then  allowed  her.  They 
loaded  her  with  the  most  distracting 
employments,  and  laid  on  her  all  the 
drudgery  of  the  house,  as  if  she  had  been 
a person  hired  into  the  family  for  that 
purpose.  The  hardest  labor,  humiliations, 
contempt,  and  the  insults  of  her  sisters, 
were  to  the  Saint  a subject  of  joy;  and  such 
was  her  ardent  love  of  crosses,  that  she 
embraced  them  in  all  shapes  with  a holy 
eagerness,  and  received  all  railleries  with 
(5) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

an  admirable  sweetness  and  heroic 
patience.  If  any  thing  grieved  her,  it 
was  the  loss  of  her  solitude.  But  the 
Holy  Ghost,  that  interior  faithful  master, 
to  whom  she  listened,  taught  her  to  make 
herself  another  solitude  in  her  heart ; 
where,  amidst  all  her  occupations,  she 
considered  herself  always  as  alone  with 
God  ; to  whose  presence  she  kept  herself 
no  less  attentive  than  if  she  had  no  ex- 
terior employment  to  distract  her. 
In  that  admirable  Treatise  of  God’s  Provi- 
dence, which  she  wrote,  she  saith:  “ That 
our  Lord  had  taught  her  to  build  in 
her  soul  a private  closet,  strongly 
vaulted  with  the  Divine  Providence,  and 
to  keep  herself  always  close  and  retired 
there  ; he  assured  her  that  by  this  means 
she  coidd  find  peace  and  perpetual  repose 
in  her  soul,  which  no  storm  or  tribulation 
could  disturb  or  interrupt.”  Her  sisters 
(6) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

and  other  friends  persuaded  her  to  join 
with  them  in  the  diversions  of  the  world, 
alleging  that  virtue  is  not  an  enemy  to 
neatness  in  dress,  or  to  cheerfulness ; 
under  which  soft  names  they  endeavored 
to  recommend  the  dangerous  liberties  of 
worldly  pastime  and  vanities.  Catharine 
was  according  prevailed  upon  by  her 
sisters  to  dress  in  a manner  something 
more  genteel ; but  she  soon  repented  of 
the  compliance,  and  wept  for  it  during 
the  remainder  of  her  life,  as  the  greatest 
infidelity  she  had  ever  been  guilty  of  to 
her  Heavenly  Spouse.  The  death  of  her 
eldest  sister,  Bonaventura,  soon  after 
confirmed  her  in  those  sentiments.  JHer 
father,  edified  at  her  patience  and  virtue, 
at  length  approved  and  seconded  her 
devotion,  and  all  her  pious  desires.  She 
liberally  assisted  the  poor,  served  the 
sick,  and  comforted  the  afflicted  and 
(?) 


I 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

prisoners.  Her  chief  subsistence  was 
boiled  herbs,  without  either  sauce  or 
bread,  which  last  she  seldom  tasted.  She 
wore  a very  rough  haircloth,  and  a large 
iron  girdle  armed  with  sharp  points ; she 
lay  on  the  ground,  and  watched  much. 
Humility,  obedience,  and  a denial  of  her 
own  will,  even  in  her  penitential  austeri- 
ties, gave  them  then’  true  value.  She 
began  this  corn's e of  life  before  she  was 
fifteen  years  of  age.  She  was  moreover 
visited  with  many  painful  distempers, 
which  she  underwent  with  incredible 
patience  ; she  had  also  suffered  much  from 
the  use  of  hot  baths  prescribed  her  by 
physicians.  Amidst  her  pains,  it  was  her 
constant  prayer  that  they  might  serve  for 
the  expiation  of  her  offences,  and  the 
purifying  of  her  heart.  She  long  desired, 
and  in  1365,  the  eighteenth  year  of  her 
age,  (but  two  years  later  according  to 
(8) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

some  writers,)  slie  received  the  habit  of 
the  third  Order  of  St.  Dominic.  From 
that  time  her  cell  became  her  paradise, 
prayer  her  element,  and  her  mortifica- 
tions had  no  longer  any  restraint.  For 
three  years  she  never  spoke  to  any  one 
but  to  God  and  her  confessor.  Her  days 
and  nights  were  employed  in  the  delight- 
ful exercises  of  contemplation ; the  fruits 
whereof  were  supernatural  lights,  a most 
ardent  love  of  God,  and  zeal  for  the  con- 
version of  sinners.  The  old  serpent, 
seeing  her  angelical  life,  set  all  his 
engines  at  work  to  assault  her  virtue. 
He  first  filled  her  imagination  with  the 
most  filthy  representations,  and  assailed 
her  heart  with  the  basest  and  most 
humbling  temptations.  Afterwards,  he 
spread  in  her  soul  such  a cloud  and 
darkness  that  it  was  the  severest  trial 
imaginable.  She  saw  herself  a hundred 
(9) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

times  on  the  brink  of  the  precipice,  but 
was  always  supported  by  an  invisible 
hand.  Her  arms  were  fervent  prayer, 
humility,  resignation,  and  confidence  in 
God.  By  these  she  persevered  victo- 
riously, and  was  at  last  delivered  from 
those  trials  which  had  only  served  to 
purify  her  heart.  Our  Savior  visiting 
her  after  this  bitter  conflict,  she  said  to 
him:  “Where  wast  thou,  my  divine 
Spouse,  whilst  I lay  in  such  an  aban- 
doned, frightful  condition?”  “I  was 
with  thee,”  he  seemed  to  reply.  ‘ 1 What ! ” 
said  she,  “ amidst  the  filthy  abominations 
with  which  my  sold  was  infested!”  He 
answered : “ They  were  displeasing  and 
most  painful  to  thee.  This  conflict  there- 
fore was  thy  merit,  and  victory  over  them 
was  owing  to  my  presence.”  Her  ghostly 
enemy  also  solicited  her  to  pride,  omitting 
neither  violence  nor  stratagem  to  seduce 
(10) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 


her  into  this  vice ; but  invincible  humility 
was  a buckler  to  cover  her  from  all  his 
/iery  darts.  God  recompensed  her  charity 
to  the  poor  by  many  miracles,  often 
multiplying  provisions  in  her  hands,  and 
enabling  her  to  carry  loads  of  corn,  oil, 
and  other  necessaries  to  the  poor,  which 
her  natural  strength  could  not  otherwise 
have  borne.  The  greatest  miracle  seemed 
her  patience  in  bearing  the  murmurs, 
and  even  the  reproaches,  of  these  ungrate- 
ful and  importunate  people.  Catharine 
dressed  and  served  an  old  woman  named 
Tocca,  infected  to  that  degree  with  a 
leprosy,  that  the  magistrates  had  ordered 
her  to  be  removed  out  of  the  city,  and 
separated  from  all  others.  This  poor 
wretch  made,  nevertheless,  no  other 
return  to  the  tender  charity  of  the  saint, 
than  continual  bitter  complaints  and  re- 
proaches ; wdiich,  instead  of  wrearying 
(11) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHAKENE. 

out  her  constancy,  only  moved  the  Saint 
to  show  her  still  greater  marks  of  sweet- 
ness and  humility.  Another,  whose  infec 
tious  cancer  the  Saint  for  a long  time 
sucked  and  dressed,  published  against  her 
the  most  infamous  calumnies  ; in  which 
she  was  seconded  by  a sister  of  the  con- 
vent. Catharine  bore  in  silence  the  vio- 
lent persecution  they  brought  upon  her, 
and  continued  her  affectionate  services 
till,  by  her  patience  and  prayers,  she  had 
obtained  of  God  the  conversion  of  both 
these  enemies,  which  was  followed  by  a 
retractation  of  their  slanders. 

The  ardent  charity  of  this  holy  virgin 
made  her  indefatigable  in  laboring  for  the 
conversion  of  sinners,  offering  for  that 
end  continual  tears,  prayers,  fasts,  and 
other  austerities,  and  thinking  nothing 
difficult  or  above  her  strength.  All  her 
discourses,  actions,  and  her  very  silence, 
(12) 


THE  LIFE  -OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 


powerfully  induced  men  to  the  love  of 
virtue,  so  that  no  one,  according  to  Pope 
Pius  II,  ever  approached  her  wdio  went 
not  away  better.  Nannes,  a powerful 
turbulent  citizen,  being  brought  to  our 
Saint  to  be  reclaimed,  all  she  could  say 
to  him  to  bring  him  to  a right  sense  of 
his  duty  was  of  no  effect : upon  w hich 
she  made  a sudden  pause  in  her  discourse, 
to  offer  up  her  prayers  for  him : they 
were  heard  that  very  instant,  and  an 
entire  change  was  wrought  in  the  man, 
to  which  his  tears  and  other  tokens  bore 
evidence.  He  accordingly  became  re- 
conciled to  all  his  enemies,  and  embraced 
a most  penitential  life.  When  he  after- 
wards fell  into  many  temporal  calamities, 
the  saint  rejoiced  at  his  spiritual  ad  van 
tage  under  them,  saying : “ God  purged  his 
heart  frnm  the  poison  with  which  it  was 
infected  by  its  inveterate  attachment  to 

(13) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 


creatures.”  Nannes  gave  to  the  Saint  a 
stately  house  which  he  possessed  within 
two  miles  of  the  city.  This,  by  the  pope’s 
authority,  she  converted  into  a nunneiy. 
We  omit  the  miraculous  conversion  of 
James  Tholomei  and  his  sisters,  of 
Nicholas  Tuldo,  and  many  others  ; 
particularly  of  two  famous  assassins 
going  to  die  with  blasphemies  in  then 
mouths,  and  in  transports  of  rage  and 
despair,  who  were  suddenly  converted  in 
their  last  moments,  on  the  Saint’s  praying 
for  them,  confessed  their  crimes  to  a priest 
with  great  signs  of  repentance,  and 
appeared  thoroughly  resigned  to  the 
punishment  about  to  be . inflicted  on 
them. 

A pestilence  laying  waste  the  country, 
in  1374,  Catharine  devoted  herself 
to  serve  the  infected,  and  obtained 
of  God  the  cure  of  several ; amongst 
(H) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

others,  of  two  holy  Dominicans,  Rf  ymund 
of  Capua,  and  Bartholomew  of  Sienna. 
The  most  hardened  sinners  could  not 
withstand  the  force  of  her  exhortations  to 
a chang-e  of  life.  Thousands  flocked  from 
places  at  a distance  in  the  country  to  hear 
or  only  to  see  her,  and  were  brought  over 
by  her  words  or  example  to  the  true  dis- 
positions of  sincere  repentance.  She 
undertook  a journey  to  Monte  Pulciano 
to  consecrate  to  God  two  of  her  nieces, 
who  there  took  the  religious  veil  of  St. 
Dominic : and  another  journey  to  Pisa,  by 
order  of  her  superiors,  at  the  earnest  suit 
of  the  citizens.  She  there  restored  health 
to  many  in  body,  but  to  a far  greater 
number  in  soul.  Raymund  of  Capua  and 
two  other  Dominicans  were  commis- 
sioned by  Pope  Gregory  XI,  then  re- 
siding at  Avignon,  to  hear  the  confess- 
ions at  Sienna  of  those  who  were  induced 
(15) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

by  the  saint  to  enter  upon  a change  of 
life ; these  priests  were  occupied  day  and 
night,  in  hearing  the  confessions  of  many 
who  had  never  confessed  before  : besides 
those  of  others  who  had  acquitted  them- 
selves but  superficially  of  that  duty. 
Whilst  she  was  at  Pisa,  in  1375,  the 
people  of  Florence  and  Perugia,  with  a 
great  part  of  Tuscany,  and  even  of  the 
ecclesiastical  state,  entered  into  a league 
against  the  Holy  See.  The  news  of  this 
disturbance  was  delivered  to  Catharine 
by  Raymund  of  Capua,  and  her  heart 
was  pierced  with  the  most  bitter  sorrow 
on  account  of  these  evils,  which  she  had 
foretold  three  years  before  they  came  to 
their  height.  The  two  furious  factions  of 
the  Guelphs  and  Gibellines,  which  had  so 
disturbed  and  divided  the  state  of  Flor- 
ence, then  a powerful  commonwealth, 
united  at  last  against  the  Pope,  to  strip  the 
(16) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 


Holy  See  of  tlie  lands  it  possessed  in 
Italy  The  disturbance  was  begun  in 
June,  1373,  and  a numerous  army  was 
set  on  foot ; the  word  u Liberta,”  inscribed 
on  the  banner  of  the  league,  was  the 
signal.  Perugia,  Bologna,  Viterbo,  An- 
cona and  other  strongholds,  soon  de- 
clared for  them.  The  inhabitants  of 
Arezzo,  Lucca,  Sienna,  and  other  places, 
were  kept  within  the  bounds  of  duty  by 
the  prayers,  letters,  and  exhortations  of 
St.  Catharine,  and  generously  contemned 
the  threats  of  the  Florentines.  Pope 
Gregory  XI,  residing  at  Avignon,  wrote 
to  the  city  of  Florence,  but  without 
success.  He  therefore  sent  cardinal 
Robert  of  Geneva,  his  legate,  with  an 
army,  and  laid  the  diocese  of  Florence 
under  an  interdict.  Internal  divisions, 
murders,  and  all  other  domestic  miseries 

amongst  the  Florentines,  joined  with  the 
(17) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 


conspiracy  of  the  neighboring  states, 
concurred  to  open  their  eyes,  and  made 
them  sue  for  pardon.  The  magistrates 
sent  to  Sienna  to  beg  St.  Catharine  would 
become  their  mediatrix.  She  could  not 
resist  their  pressing  entreaties.  Before 
she  arrived  at  Florence,  she  was  met  by 
the  priors  or  chiefs  of  the  magistrates , 
and  the  city  left  the  management  of  the 
whole  affair  to  her  discretion,  with  a pro- 
mise that  she  should  be  followed  to  Avig- 
non by  their  ambassadors,  wrho  should 
sign  and  ratify  the  conditions  of  recon- 
ciliation between  the  parties  at  variance, 
and  confirm  every  tiling  she  had  done. 
The  Saint  arrived  at  Avignon  on  the  18th 
of  June  1376,  and  was  received  by  the 
pope  and  cardinals  with  great  marks  of  dis- 
tinction. His  Holiness,  after  a conference 
with  her,  in  admiration  of  her  prudence 
and  sanctity,  said  to  her  : “ I desire 
(18) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

nothing  but  peace.  I put  the  affaii 
entirely  into  your  hands  ; only  I recom- 
mend to  you  the  honor  of  the  Church.” 
But  the  Florentines  sought  not  peace 
sincerely,  and  they  continued  to  cany  on 
secret  intrigues  to  draw  all  Italy  from  its 
obedience  to  the  Holy  See.  Their  am- 
bassadors arrived  very  late  at  Avignon, 
and  spoke  with  so  great  insolence,  that 
they  showed  peace  was  far  from  being 
the  subject  of  their  errand.  God  suffered 
the  conclusion  of  this  work  to  be  deferred 
in  punishment  of  the  sins  of  the  Floren- 
tines, by  which  means  St.  Catharine 
sanctified  herself  still  more  by  suffering 
longer  amidst  a seditious  people. 

The  Saint  had  another  point  no  less 
at  heart  in  her  journey  to  Avignon. 
Pope  John  XXII,  a Frenchman,  born  at 
Cahors,  bishop,  first  of  Frejus,  then  of 
Avignon,  lastly  of  Porto,  on  being  made 
(19) 


J 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

pope  in  1314,  had  fixed  his  residence 
at  Avignon,  where  J ohn’s  successors, 
Benedict  XII,  Clement  VI,  Innocent 
VI,  and  Urban  V,  also  resided.  Pope 
Gregory  XI,  elected  in  1370,  continued 
also  there.  The  Romans  complained 
that  their  bishops  had  for  seventy-four 
years  past  forsaken  their  city,  and  threat- 
ened a schism.  Gregory  XI  had  made 
a secret  vow  to  return  to  Pome ; but  not 
finding  this  design  agreeable  to  his  court, 
he  consulted  the  holy  virgin  on  this 
subject,  who  answered:  “ Fulfil  what 
you  have  promised  to  God.”  The  pope, 
surprised  she  should  know  by  revelation 
what  he  had  never  discovered  to  any 
person  on  earth,  was  immediately  deter 
mined  to  carry  his  good  design  into 
execution.  The  Saint  soon  after  left 
Avignon.  We  have  several  letters  writ- 
ten by  her  to  him,  to  press  him  to  hasten 
(20) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

his  return ; and  he  shortly  afterwards 
followed  her,  leaving  Avignon  on  the 
13th  of  September,  in  1376.  He  over- 
took the  saint  at  Genoa,  where  she  made 
a short  stay.  At  Sienna,  she  continued 
her  former  way  of  life,  serving  and  often 
curing  the  sick,  converting  the  most 
obstinate  sinners,  and  reconciling  the 
most  inveterate,  enemies*,  more  still  by 
her  prayers  than  by  her  words.  Such 
was  her  knowledge  of  heavenly  things 
that  certain  Italian  doctors,  out  of  envy, 
and  with  the  intent  to  expose  her  igno- 
rance, being  come  to  hold  a conference 
with  her,  departed  in  confusion  and 
admiration  at  her  interior  lights.  The 
same  had  happened  at  Avignon  some  time 
before,  where  three  prelates,  envying  her 
credit  with  the  pope,  put  to  her  the  most 
inti  icate  questions  on  an  interior  life,  and 
many  other  subjects  ; but  admiring  her 
(21) 


T 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHAEINE. 

answers  to  all  tlieir  difficulties,  confessed 
to  the  pope  they  had  never  seen  a soul  so 
enlightened,  and  so  profoundly  humble 
as  Catharine.  She  had  many  disciples : 
amongst  others,  Stephen,  son  of  Conrad,  a 
senator  of  Sienna.  This  nobleman  was 
reduced  by  enemies  to  the  last  extremity. 
Seeing  himself  on  the  brink  of  ruin,  he 
addressed  himself  to  the  saint,  who, 
having  first  made  a thorough  convert  of 
him  from  the  world  and  its  vanities,  by 
her  prayers,  miraculously,  on  a sudden 
pacified  all  his  persecutors,  and  calmed 
their  fury.  Stephen,  from  that  time, 
looked  upon  as  dust  all  that  he  had 
formerly  most  passionately  loved  and 
pursued ; and  he  testified,  of  lrm 
self,  that  by  her  presence,  and  much 
more  by  hei  zealous  discourses,  he 
always  found  the  divine  love  vehe- 
mently kindled  in  his  breast,  and  his  con 
(22) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 


tempt  of  all  earthly  things  increased. 

He  became  the  most  fervent  amongst 
her  disciples,  made  a collection  of  all  her 
words  as  oracles,  would  be  her  secretary 
to  write  her  letters,  and  her  companion 
in  her  journeys  to  Avignon,  Florence,  and 
Rome  ; and  at  length,  by  her  advice  pro- 
fessed himself  a Carthusian  monk. — He 
assisted  her  at  her  death,  and  wrote 
her  life  at  the  request  of  several  princes ; , 

having  been  witness  of  her  great  mira- 
cles and  virtues,  and  having  experienced 
often  in  himself  her  spirit  of  prophecy, 
her  knowledge  of  the  consciences  of 
others,  and  her  extraordinary  light  in 
spiritual  things. 

St.  Catharine  wrote  to  Pope  Gregory 
XI,  at  Rome,  strongly  exhorting  him  to 
contribute  by  all  means  possible  to  the 
general  peace  of  Italy.  His  holiness  com- 
missioned her  to  go  to  Florence,  still 
(23) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

divided  and  obstinate  in  its  disobedience. 
She  lived  some  time  in  that  factious 
place,  amidst  daily  murders  and  confisca- 
tions, in  frequent  danger  of  her  own  life 
in  many  ways ; in  which  she  always  showed 
herself  most  undaunted,  even  when 
swords  were  drawn  against  her.  At 
length  she  overcame  that  obstinate 
people,  and  brought  them  to  submission, 
obedience,  and  peace ; though  not  under 
Gregory  XI,  but  his  successor,  Urban  VI, 
as  her  contemporary  historian  informs  us. 

This  memorable  reconciliation  was  ef- 
fected in  1378;  after  which  Catharine 
hastened  to  her  solitary  abode  at  Sienna, 
where  her  occupation,  and,  we  may  say, 
her  very  nourishment,  was  holy  prayer  • 
in  which  intercourse  with  the  Almighty, 
he  discovered  to  her  very  wonderful 
mysteries,  and  bestowed  on  her  a spirit 
which  delivered  the  truths  of  salvation  in 
(24) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

a manner  that  astonished  her  hearers. 

Some  of  her  discourses  were  collected, 
and  compose  the  treatise  On  Providence, 
under  her  name.  Her  whole  life  seemed 
one  continued  miracle ; but  what  the 
servants  of  God  admired  most  in  her  was 
the  perpetual  strict  union  of  her  soul  with 
God.  For,  though  obliged  often  to  con- 
verse with  different  persons  on  so  many 
different  affairs,  and  transact  business  of 
the  greatest  moment,  she  was  always  oc- 
cupied on  God,  and  absorbed  in  him.  For 
many  years  she  had  accustomed  herself  to 
so  rigorous  an  abstinence,  that  the  Blessed 
Eucharist  might  be  said  to  be  almost 
the  only  nourishment  which  supported 
her.  Once  she  fasted  from  Asli-Wednes- 
aay  till  Ascension-day,  receiving  only  the 
Blessed  Eucharist  during  that  whole  time. 

Many  treated  her  as  a hypocrite,  and 
invented  all  manner  of  calumnies  against. 

(25) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE- 

her ; but  she  rejoiced  at  humiliations,  and 
gloried  in  the  cross  of  Chi$st,  as  much  as 
she  dreaded  and  abhorred  praise  and  ap- 
plause. In  a vision,  our  Savior  is  said 
one  day  to  have  presented  her  with  two 
crowns,  one  of  gold  and  the  other  of 
thorns,  bidding  her  choose  which  of  the 
two  she  pleased.  She  answered:  “I 
desire,  0 Lord,  to  live  here  always  con- 
formed to  thy  Passion,  and  to  find  pain 
and  suffering  my  repose  and  delight.” 
Then  eagerly  taking  up  the  crown  of 
thorns,  she  forcibly  pressed  it  upon  her 
head.  The  earnest  desire  and  love  of 
humiliations  and  crosses  was  nourished  in 
her  soul  by  assiduous  meditation  on  the 
sufferings  of  our  divine  Redeemer 
What,  above  all  things,  pierced  her  heart 
was  scandal,  chiefly  that  of  the 
unhappy  great  schism  which  fol- 
lowed the  death  of  Gregory  XI, 
(26) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 


in  1378,  when  Urban  VI  was  chosen  a I 
Rome,  and  acknowledged  there  by  ah 
the  cardinals,  though  his  election  was  in 
the  beginning  overawed  by  the  Roman 
people,  who  demanded  an  Italian  pope. 
Urban’s  harsh  and  austere  temper  alien- 
ated from  him  the  affections  of  the 
cardinals,  several  of  whom  withdrew; 
and  having  declared  the  late  election  null, 
chose  Clement  VII,  with  whom  they 
retired  out  of  Italy,  and  resided  at 
Avignon.  Our  saint,  not  content  to 
spend  herself  in  floods  of  tears,  weeping 
before  God  for  these  evils  of  his  church, 
wrote  the  strongest  and  most  pathetic 
letters  to  those  cardinals  who  had  first 
acknowledged  Urban,  and  afterwards 
elected  another ; pressing  them  to  return 
to  tliek  lawful  pastor,  and  acknowledge 
Urban’s  title.  She  wrote  also  to  several 
countries  and  princes  in  his  favor,  and 
(27) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

to  Urban  himself,  exhorting  him  to  bear 
up  cheerfully  under  the  troubles  he 
found  himself  involved  in,  and  to  abate 
somewhat  of  a temper  that  had  made 
him  so  many  enemies,  and  mollify  that 
rigidness  of  disposition  which  had  driven 
the  world  from  him,  and  still  kept  a very 
considerable  part  of  Christendom  from 
acknowledging  him.  The  pope  listened 
to  her,  sent  for  her  to  Rome,  followed 
her  directions,  and  designed  to  send  her 
with  St.  Catharine  of  Sweden  to  Jane, 
Queen  of  Sicily,  who  had  sided  with 
Clement.  Our  saint  grieved  to  see  this 
occasion  of  martydom  snatched  from  her, 
when  the  journey  was  laid  aside  on  ac- 
count of  the  dangers  that  were  foreseen 
to  attend  it.  She  wrote,  however,  to 
queen  Jane,  likewise  two  letters  full  of 
holy  fire  to  the  king  of  France,  also 
letters  to  the  king  of  Hungary  and  others, 
(28) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 


to  exhort  them  to  renounce  the  schism. 

We  pass  over  the  ecstacies  and  other 
wonderful  favors  this  virgin  received 
from  heaven,  and  the  innumerable  mira- 
cles God  wrought  by  her  means.  She 
has  left  us,  besides  the  example  of  her 
life,  six  treatises  in  form  of  a dialogue,  a 
discourse  on  the  Annunciation  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  and  three  hundred  and 
sixty-four  letters,  wdiich  show  that  she 
had  a superior  genius,  and  wrote  per- 
fectly well.  Whilst  she  was  laboring  to 
extend  the  obedience  of  the  true  pope, 
Urban  VI,  her  infirmities  and  pains 
increasing,  she  died  at  Rome  on  the  29th 
of  April,  in  1380,  being  thirty- three  years 
old.  She  was  buried  in  the  church  of  the 
Minerva,  where  her  body  is  still  kept 
under  an  altar.  Her  skull  is  in  the 
Dominican  church  at  Sienna,  in  which 
city  are  shown  her  house,  her  instruments 
(29) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 

of  penance,  and  other  relics.  She  was 
canonized  by  Pope  Pius  II,  in  1461. 
Urban  VIII  transferred  her  festival  to 
the  30th  of  April. 

When  we  read  the  lives  of  the  saints, 
and  consider  the  wonderful  graces  with 
which  God  enriched  them,  wre  admire 
them  happiness  in  being  so  highly  favored 
by  Him,  and  say  to  ourselves  that  their 
labors  and  sufferings  bore  no  propor- 
tion to  the  sweetness  of  heavenly  peace 
and  love  with  which  their  souls  were 
replenished,  and  the  spiritual  joys  and 
consolations  which  were  a present  super- 
abundant recompense  and  support.  But 
it  was  in  the  victory  over  their  passions, 
in  the  fervor  of  their  charity,  and  in  l he 
perfection  of  their  humility,  patience  and 
meekness,  that  their  virtue  and  their 
happiness  chiefly  consisted.  Nor  are  we 
to  imagine  that  God  raised  them  to 

(30) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CATHARINE. 


these  sublime  graces  without  their 
assiduous  application  to  the  practice 
both  of  exterior  and  interior  mortification, 
especially  of  the  latter.  Self-denial 
prepared  them  for  this  state  of  perfect 
virtue,  and  supported  them  in  it.  What 
a pity  is  it  to  hear  persons  talk  of  sub- 
lime virtue,  and  to  see  them  pretend  to 
aspire  after  it,  without  having  studied  in 
earnest  to  die  to  themselves.  Without 
tins  condition,  all  their  fine  discourses  are 
mere  speculation,  and  their  endeavors 
fruitless. 

PRAYER 

Hear  us,  oh  God,  appealing  to  thee 
through  the  intercession  of  thy  blessed 
servant  Catharine,  and  grant  that  wc 
may  be  enabled  to  imitate  the  virtues 
which  render  her  so  pleasing  to  thea 


(SI) 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST  MARGARET 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  MARGARET, 


Queen  of  Scotland. 


MARGARET  was  the  granddaught.ei 
of  Edmond  Ironside,  and  grand  nieee  o i 
Saint  Edward  the  Confessor,  whose  festi- 
val the  Church  celebrates  on  the  fifth  of 
January. 

In  order  that  we  may  clearly  under- 
stand her  life,  let  us  glance  at  the  state 
of  affairs  in  England  at  the  time  of  her 
birth. 

Edmond  had  been  assassinated  in  1017, 
when  Canute,  king  of  Denmark,  took  ad- 
(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

vantage  of  this  circumstance,  and  found 
means  to  have  himself  proclaimed  mon- 
archy of  all  England.  He  likewise  con- 
tituted  himself  guardian  of  the  two  sons 
of  Edmond  till  they  should  be  of  age  to 
^succeed  them  father  in  the  kingdom  of  the 
Western  Saxons.  He  sent  to  Sweden 
secretly  the  two  princes,  who  were  named 
Edward  and  Edmond.  The  Swedish  mon- 
arch notwithstanding  the  instructions  he 
had  privately  received  to  take  away  the 
lives  of  the  two  princes,  refused  to  im- 
brue his  hands  in  innocent  blood,  and 
this  conduct  was  rendered  still  more 
honorable  and  noble,  by  the  fact  of  his 
having  reason  to  dread  the  cruelty  and 
power  cf  Canute. 

The  king  of  Sweden  therefore  sent 
Edward  and  Edmond  to  the  court  of 
Hungary,  where  they  were  received  with 

great  honors,  and  the  king  of  that  nation 
(4) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

undertook  to  educate  them  both  in  a 
manner  conformable  to  their  birth. 

Edmond,  the  eldest  of  the  princes, 
died  without  posterity  Edward,  his 
brother,  married  Agatha,  sister  of  the 
queen  of  Hungary.  She  was  a most 
virtuous  princess,  and  gifted  with  every 
good  quality  of  head  and  heart.  She 
became  the  mother  of  Edgar,  of  Chris- 
tina, who  took  the  religious  habit,  and 
of  Margaret  concerning  whom  we  are 
going  to  write.  Canute  died  after  a reign 
brilliant  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  but 
stained  by  injustice  and  ambition.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Harold  and  Hardi- 
canute,  who  after  a very  short  reign 
transmitted  the  English  crown  to  St. 
Edward,  the  kinsman  of  our  Saint. 

As  soon  as  this  prince  was  seated  on 
the  throne,  he  invited  Edward,  the  last 
son  of  Edmond,  to  come  from  Hungary 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

to  England  with  his  children.  He  re* 
ceived  them  in  London,  a.  d..  1054.  with 
every  possible  mark  of  honor  and  affec- 
tion. 

Both  the  king  and  the  prince  whom  ho 
had  recalled  from  Hungary  having  died, 
Edgar  naturally  succeeded  to  the  throne 
of  St.  Edward ; but  as  he  was  as  yet  very 
young,  and  having  been  born  in  a foreign 
country,  these  circumstances  were  made 
an  occasion  to  exclude  him  from  the 
crown,  and  place  it  on  the  head  of 
Harold. 

The  latter  pretended  that  Edward  had 
appointed  him  to  be  his  successor.  Wil- 
liam, Duke  of  Normandy,  set  up  a similar 
pretension.  In  consequence  of  this,  he 
crossed  the  sea,  conquered  England,  and 
killed  Harold  in  the  celebrated  battle 
which  was  fought  near  Hastings,  October 
14th,  1066.  Many  of  the  English  people 
(6) 

~1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

declared  for  Edgar,  but  all  to  no  pur- 
pose. This  prince  was  too  weak  to  sup- 
port himself  by  force  of  arms,  and  he 
and  all  his  nobility  were  obliged  to  re- 
ceive their  vanquisher  at  London. 

At  last  being  constrained  to  fly  from 
the  tyranny  of  William  the  Conqueror, 
he  embarked  with  his  sister,  Margaret,  on 
board  a ship  which  was  cast  by  a storm  on 
flie  coast  of  Scotland.  Malcolm,  king  of 
that  country,  gave  a warm  reception  to 
them  both.  He  was  the  more  anxious  to 
act  thus,  as  he  himself  had  been  once  in 
a situation  resembling  theirs. 

William  sent  to  Malcolm,  demanding 
the  surrender  of  the  fugitives  into  his 
hands,  but  the  generous  prince  refused 
to  be  a party  to  such  black  treason.  His 
refusal  kindled  the  fires  of  war,  but  the 
Scotch  defied  William’s  troops,  and  the 
latter  was  obliged  to  sign  a treaty  of 
(7) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

peace,  one  of  the  conditions  of  which 
was,  that  William  should  act  towards 
Edgar  as  though  he  were  his  friend. 

In  the  midst  of  all  those  heart-break- 
ing vicissitudes,  Margaret  displayed  the 
greatest  patience  and  resignation,  and  we 
are  now  going  to  narrate  some  of  the 
countless  virtues  which  won  for  her  the 
veneration  of  all  Scotland. 

Hating  worldly  vanities  and  appre- 
ciating all  its  pomps  and  glories  accord- 
ing to  then*  just  value,  her  whole  ambition 
was  to  render  herself  agreeable  to  the 
King  of  Heaven,  who,  while  here  on 
earth  would  not  reign  over  the  people, 
except  from  the  cross  of  Calvary  bedewed 
with  His  blood.  Mortification,  medita- 
tion, and  prayer,  constituted  her  chief 
delights.  Living  for  Jesus  Christ  alone, 
it  was  her  joy  and  consolation  to  com- 
mune with  Him  in  the  silence  of  the 
(8) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

* 

tabernacles.  Outside  tlie  holy  temples, 
slie  belield  Him  in  his  representatives, 
the  poor,  and  seized  every  occasion  of 
ministering  to  their  wants,  and  assuaging 
their  sorrows. 

Malcolm  was  deeply  affected  by  the 
contemplation  of  so  much  virtue,  and  be- 
gan to  conceive  the  greatest  esteem  for 
Margaret.  He  proposed  to  unite  himself 
to  her  by  the  bonds  of  marriage. 

Margaret  acquiesced,  and  was  crowned 
queen  of  Scotland,  a.d.  1070.  She  was 
then  twenty-four  years  of  age. 

Her  gentleness,  her  respectful  bearing, 
her  condescension,  and  other  virtues, 
soon  gave  her  undivided  control  over  her 
husband’s  heart.  She  employed  this  con- 
trol, to  make  religion  and  justice  flourish 
throughout  the  whole  kingdom.  Her 
examples  and  conversations  caused  the 
king  to  love  and  venerate  the  maxims  of 
• (9) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 


the  Gospel,  and  in  the  school  of  Margaret, 
Malcolm  became  one  of  the  most  virtuous 
of  the  kings  of  Scotland.  Charmed  by 
the  wisdom  of  his  consort,  he  committed 
to  her  the  administration  of  all  his  domes- 
tic affairs,  and  consulted  her  in  all  public 
matters  regarding  the  common  weal.  In 
the  midst  of  all  these  occupations,  Queen 
Margaret  preserved  her  recollected  ness 
of  soul,  and  armed  herself  against  all 
danger  of  dissipation. 

Extreme  exactitude  in  the  performa  nee 
of  all  her  duties,  as  though  the  eye  of 
God  was  upon  her  alone  ; the  continual 
exercise  of  prayer,  and  the  constant  habit 
of  mortifying  herself,  were  the  principal 
means  that  she  employed  to  maintain 
herself  in  such  a,  perfect  state. 

In  Scotland,  and  far  away  in  foreign 
lands,  her  prudence  was  a theme  on  which 
all  men  loved  to  expatiate.  Every  one 
(10) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

admired  her  management  of  public  and 
private  affairs,  and  there  was  no  one  who 
did  not  laud  her  anxiety  to  make  her 
subjects  happy.  In  a word,  nothing 
could  have  excelled  her  wisdom  in  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  attached  to  the 
royal  authority. 

God  did  not  fail  to  bless  a union  that 
had  been  sanctified  by  so  many  virtues. 
She  had  a numerous  family,  all  of  whom 
reflected  honor  on  those  from  wThom 
they  sprang.  The  queen  became  the 
mother  of  six  princes,  Edward,  Edmond, 
Edgar,  Ethelred,  Alexander,  David,  and 
of  two  princesses,  Matilda  and  Maria 
The  former  married  Henry  I,  of  England, 
and  the  second  was  the  wife  of  Eustace, 
count  of  Boulogne.  Edward,  Alexander, 
and  David,  successively  ascended  the 
throne  of  Scotland.  Their  respective 
reigns  were  signally  marked  by  wisdom, 
(ii) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

piety,  and  valor.  David,  however,  was 
far  more  distinguished  than  his  two  broth- 
ers and  of  him  it  has  been  justly  said, 
that  he  was  the  brightest  ornament  of  the 
Scottish  throne. 

Under  the  guidance  of  so  pious  a mother, 
the  young  princes  learned  at  an  early 
moment,  that  true  nobility  and  the  chief 
happiness  of  man  are  to  be  found  in  a 
virtuous  life.  Margaret  took  great  heed 
to  guard  them,  while  still  mere  striplings, 
against  those  dangerous  shoals,  whereon 
those  who  are  born  in  courts  are  too 
often  wrecked.  While  deeply  impressing 
on  their  minds  the  vanity  and  nothing- 
ness of  all  sublunary  tilings,  she  depicted 
virtue  to  their  eves  in  all  its  charms, 
inspiring  them  with  a holy  horror  of  sin, 
love  of  God,  and  salutary  dread  of  His 
judgments. 

Knowing  well  that  the  first  impres* 
(la) 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

fiions  made  on  the  souls  of  the  young  are 
hardly  ever  effaced,  and  that  these 
impressions  are  made  by  those  to  whom 
their  education  is  entrusted,  she  would 
not  allow  any  to  approach  them  save 
those  whose  piety  was  well  established, 
Thus  the  preceptors  of  her  children  were 
men  influenced  by  the  holiest  feelings 
of  religion. 

As  soon  as  the  princesses,  her  daugh- 
ters, were  of  an  age  to  profit  by  her  ex- 
amples, she  associated  them  with  herself 
in  her  spiritual  exercises  and  holy  works. 
She  made  them  the  mediums  for  distri- 
buting her  alms,  and  it  was  with  them  that 
she  was  wont  to  pour  out  the  incense  of 
her  prayers  at  the  foot  of  God’s  throne 
None  but  the  virtuous  were  admitted  to 
her  court,  and  virtue  was  the  only  recom- 
mendation agreeable  to  her.  Want  of 

piety  was  enough  to  exclude  all  persona 
(13) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

from  places  of  trust,  for  she  concluded 
wisely,  that  religion  was  the  sole  guar- 
antee for  the  exact  performance  of  duty. 

All  Scotland  had  undergone  a happy 
change  ; holiness  and  holy  men  were 
flourishing  every  where  throughout  the 
realm  ; the  Sundays,  the  festivals,  and  the 
laws  of  the  Church,  were  faithfully  ob- 
served ; usury,  injustice,  and  dissipation 
disappeared  from  every  homestead  ; and 
peace,  morality,  and  temporal  wealth, 
everywhere  abounded. 

Does  not  religion  bring  every  choicest 
blessing  in  its  train  ? 

Margaret  protected  learning  and  en- 
couraged the  fine  arts,  and  created 
various  establishments,  which  wonder- 
fully contributed  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  kingdom. 

This  queen,  so  majestic,  so  venerated, 
and  so  powerful,  was  pleased  to  surrmnd 
(H) 


THE  LIFE  OF  C5T.  MARGARET. 


herself  with  orphans,  old  people,  poor 
men  and  desolate  widows.  She  called 
them  her  children  ; and,  easy  of  access 
to  them  all,  she  was  unremitting  in  her 
attentions  to  each  of  them.  She  not  only 
loved  the  poor,  with  whom  she  filled 
her  palace,  for  in  them  she  beheld  the 
representatives  of  her  Divine  Master, 
Jesus  Christ;  but  she  also  venerated  them, 
kneeling  washed  their  feet,  and  fed  them 
with  the  same  meat  that  was  brought 
to  her  own  royal  table. 

She  took  especial  delight  in  visiting 
the  hospitals,  and  wherever  she  went  the 
sick  and  the  poor  were  filled  with  ad- 
miration of  her  humility  and  excessive 
tenderness  to  them.  Even  strangers 
were  made  the  objects  of  Queen  Marga- 
ret’s bounty  and  charity.  The  English 
who  fell  into  the  hands  of  her  husband, 
were  often  indebted  to  her  for  their  de- 
(15) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 


liverance  from  prison.  Malcolm,  pro- 
foundly grateful  to  God  for  having  given 
him  such  a consort,  gladly  aided  her  in 
carrying  out  all  her  pious  intentions. 

Let  us  now  hear  Thierry,  a monk  of 
Durham,  and  Queen  Margaret’s  confessor, 
speaking  of  her  holy  life.  u The  pious 
queen  had  hours  marked  out  for  all  her 
daily  actions.  Sleeping  little,  she  always 
had  ample  time  for  her  exercises  of 
devotion.  Nothing  could  have  exceeded 
the  meagreness  of  her  diet ; she  ate 
only  to  keep  herself  from  dying,  and  she 
studiously  avoided  every  thing  that  could 
flatter  sensuality.  Her  works  were  more 
astonisliing  than  her  miracles  : for  she  had 
also  received  the  gift  of  miracles.  Oh, 
how  I loved  the  spirit  of  compunction 
which  God  gave  lf3r  ! She  possessed  it 
in  an  eminent  degree ; when  she  dis- 
coursed with  me  on  the  ineffable  blessings 
' (1G) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 


of  eternal  life  her  words  were  accompanied 
with  wonderful  grace.  So  great  was 
her  fervor  on  those  occasions,  that  she 
could  not  restrain  the  flood  of  tears  that 
rushed  from  her  eyes.  Such  was  the 
tenderness  of  her  devotion,  that  in  wit- 
nessing it,  I felt  myself  penetrated  by 
the  liveliest  compunction.  Never  was 
one  more  recollected  in  the  holy  temple.” 

The  same  author  speaking  of  Malcolm, 
states  this  of  him  : “He  learned  from  Mar- 
garet frequently  to  spend  the  night  in 
exercises  of  piety.  It  was  truly  aston- 
ishing to  see  the  fervor  of  this  prince 
while  at  prayer ; he  possessed  the  spirit 
of  compunction,  and  the  gift  of  .tears  in 
a degree  far  above  the  condition  of  a 
man  living  in  the  world.” 

The  queen,  says  an  Slier  author,  excited 
the  king  to  works  of  justice  and  mercy, 
and  also  to  the  practice  of  the  otliei 

(17) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST  MARGARET. 

virtues.  In  all  this  she  succeeded  mar- 
vellously by  an  effect  of  the  grace  of 
God.  The  king  was  always  ready  to 
second  her  pious  intentions.  Seeing 
that  Jesus  Christ  dwelt  in  the  heart  of 
Margaret,  he  never  failed  to  follow  her 
counsels. 

Margaret’s  instructions  had  fully  con- 
vinced Malcolm,  that  a king,  being  the 
father  of  his  people,  ought  to  avoid  war 
as  the  most  terrible  of  scourges  ; that 
the  most  renowned  conquerors  were  born 
for  the  misfortune  of  the  world,  and 
above  all  for  that  of  the  states  which 
they  governed  ; and  that  their  exploits 
considered  with  eyes  of  faith,  were 
nothing  but  a series  of  murders  and 
•obberies.  Nevertheless,  the  prince  knew 
that  his  duty  as  a king,  obliged  him  to 
be  acquainted  with  the  art  of  war,  in 
order  that  he  might  always  be  prepared 
(18) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MAJRGAEET. 

to  take  up  arms  for  the  protection  of  liis 
people,  against  the  attacks  of  their 
enemies 

William  Rufus,  who  had  ascended  the 
throne  of  England  in  1087,  compelled 
him  to  give  proofs  of  his  valor.  This 
prince  surprised  the  castle  of  Alnwick,  in 
Northumberland,  and  ordered  the  garri- 
son to  be  put  to  the  sword. 

Malcolm  demanded  that  this  place 
should  be  restored  to  him,  and  when  this 
was  denied,  he  laid  siege  to  it.  The 
English  garrison  finding  itself  pressed  on 
all  sides,  and  reduced  to  the  last  ex- 
tremity, feigned  a surrender,  and  pro- 
posed that  the  king  himself  in  person 
should  come  to  receive  the  keys  of  the 
town ; but  the  soldier  who  presented 
them  on  the  point  of  his  lance,  seized 
the  moment  in  which  Malcolm  was 
stretching  out  his  hand,  and  basely  dealt 
(19) 


THE  J.IFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET 

him  a stroke  in  the  eyes,  of  which  he 
died, 

Ea ward,  his  son,  being  exasperated, 
continued  the  siege,  but  his  valor  carried 
him  too  far,  and  he  was  killed  in  an  assault. 

-Malcolm’s  death  took  place  in  1093, 
and  his  reign  had  lasted  thirty-three 
years. 

Margaret  had  need  of  great  resignation 
to  sustain  her  amid  all  the  misfortunes  of 
which  we  have  to  speak ; but  her  virtue 
did  not  fail  her,  and  like  holy  Job  she 
exclaimed:  u Lord,  thou  gavest  them  to 
me,  and  thou  hast  taken  them  away  from 
me ; may  thy  name  be  blessed  ! ” 

Margaret  was  lying  sick  in  her  bed, 
when  this  intelligence  reached  her. 

We  will  now  let  the  monk,  Thierry, 
relate  all  that  occurred  during  her  last 
illness. 

“ On  the  day  the  king  was  killed* 
(20) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

Margaret  appeared  to  be  sad  and  pen- 
sive. It  was  then  she  thus  addressed 
those  by  whom  she  was  surrounded : 
1 It  is  probable,  that' on  this  day  Scot- 
land may  have  sustained  a loss  such  as 
never  before  fell  to  its  lot.’ 

“ Some  days  afterwards,  Edgar,  her 
son,  returned  from  the  army.  She  asked 
him  how  were  Edward  and  Malcolm. 
Edgar,  not  wishing  to  augment  her 
sufferings,  replied  that  they  were  very 
well.  1 1 know  how  it  is,’  observed  Marga- 
ret. Then  raising  her  eyes  to  heaven 
she  addressed  this  prayer  to  God — 
‘ Almighty  God,  I thank  thee  for  having 
sent  me  this  overwhelming  affliction  in 
the  latest  moment  of  my  life.  I trust 
that,  with  thy  mercy,  it  may  serve  to  puri- 
fy me  from  my  sins.’ 

Margaret  had  had  a revelation,  inform- 
ing her  of  the  time  of  her  death  long 
(21) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

before  that  moment  arrived.  Having 
desired  to  speak  to  me  in  private,”  con- 
tinues Thierry,  “she  made  a general 
confession  of  her  whole  life.  Torrents 
of  tears  gushed  from  her  eyes  at  every 
word  she  uttered.  So  lively  was  her 
compunction,  that  I myself  was  forced  to 
weep.  From  time  to  time,  sobs  and  tears 
so  choked  our  utterance  that  neither  of  us 
could  pronounce  a word  without  great 
difficulty.  She  concluded  by  saying  to 
me  what  follows  : — 

“ ‘ Farewell,  for  I shall  very  soon  dis- 
appear from  the  earth.  You  must  soon 
follow  me.  I have  two  favors  to  ask  of 
you : the  first  is,  that  you  will  remember 
my  poor  soul  in  your  prayers  and  in  the 
Holy  Sacrifice,  as  long  as  God  leaves 
you  here  below  : the  second  is,  that  you 
will  look  to  my  children,  and  teach  them 

to  fear  and  love  God.  Promise  to  grant 
(22) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

Die  what  I ask  in  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  who  is  the  only  witness  of  our  con- 
versation/” Feeling  that  she  was  about 
to  expire,  she  redoubled  her  fervor,  and 
over  and  over  again  repeated  these  words : 

“ Lord  Jesus,  who  by  thy  death  hast 
given  life  to  the  world,  deliver  me  from 
evil ! ” 

At  length  her  soul  was  liberated  from 
the  bonds  of  the  body,  November  16, 
1093,  in  the  forty-seventh  year  of  her 
age. 

She  was  canonized  in  1251,  by  Pope 
Innocent  IV,  and  in  1693  Innocent  XII 
fixed  her  festival  on  the  1 0th  of  J une. 

The  Saint  was  buried,  as  she  had  de- 
sired, in  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity, 
at  Dunfermline,  near  Edinburgh.  The 
pious  princess  herself  was  the  foundress 
of  the  church  of  this  monastery. 

At  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  the 
(28) 


THE  LIFE  vOF  ST.  MARGARET. 

Catholics  secretly  carried  off  her  relics 
and  those  of  her  husband.  The  greater 
portion  of  them  was  translated  to  Spain 
in  the  reign  of  Philip  the  Second,  who 
caused  a chapel  to  be  built  for  their  re- 
ception in  the  Escurial  palace.  They 
are  there  to  the  present  day,  and  on  the 
shrine  we  read  this  inscription,  “ St.  Mal- 
colm, king,  and  St.  Margaret,  queen.” 

The  head  of  the  Saint  was  sent  to 
Scotland  to  queen  Mary  Stuart ; but  this 
princess  being  obliged  to  fly  to  England, 
a Benedictine  friar  got  possession  of  the 
holy  relic,  and  translated  it  to  Antwerp, 
in  1597.  He  afterwards  gave  it  to  the 
Scotch  Jesuits  of  Douai,  in  whose  church 
it  was  preserved  up  to  the  time  of  the 
destruction  of  the  religious  communities 
in  France. 

God  is  wont  to  reward  the  piety  of 
mothers  with  children  who  live  according 
(24) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 

to  the  holy  example  shown  to  them. 
Those  of  Margaret  were  a blessing  to  all 
Scotland,  and  nearly  all  of  them  are 
honored  as  Saints  by  the  Church. 

Matilda  or  Maud,  daughter  of  Mar- 
garet, and  wife  of  Henry  I of  England, 
built  Christ’s  Church  Hospital,  and  that 
of  St.  Giles  in  London.  Margaret’s  son, 
Alexander,  erected  various  churches  and 
monasteries — one  in  the  island  of  Emona, 
sacred  to  St.  Colm,  which,  like  that  of  St. 
Andrew,  he  endowed  largely.  King 
David  who  succeeded  him,  founded  four 
bishoprics,  Ross,  Brecin,  Dunkelden  and 
Dunblane,  together  with  fourteen  abbeys, 
six  of  which  were  of  the  Cistercian  order. 

PRAYER. 

Saint  Margaret ! obtain  for  us  grace 
to  imitate  your  virtues,  and  inspire  us 
with  that  lively  piety  and  detachment 


THE  L1EE  OF  ST.  MARGARET. 


from  the  things  of  earth  that  rendered 
you  pleasing  to  God  ; obtain  for  us  that 
we  may  think  only  of  our  eternal  in- 
terests, and  thus  enjoy  here  below  a fore- 
taste of  that  heaven  where  you  are  now 
enjoying  the  beatific  vision. 


m 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  ROSE,  OF  LIMA. 


ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA,  the  subject  of 
our  present  narrative,  was  born,  as  her 
name  implies,  at  Lima,  in  Peru.  She  came 
into  the  world  on  the  20th  day  of  April, 
in  the  year  1586.  Her  father  was  Gaspar 
Florez,  and  her  mother  Mary  Olivia,  both 
persons  of  high  rank,  but  of  inconsidera- 
ble fortune.  The  very  circumstances  of 
the  birth  of  our  blessed  Rose  were  miracu- 
lous. Her  mother  had  been  frequently 
in  danger  of  death  at  her  former  confine- 
ments ; but  not  only  did  she  suffer  nothing 
(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

with  Rose,  but  the  child  herself  was  bom 
enwrapped  in  a double  cuticle,  like  a 
goodly  rosebud  peeping  from  its  cover- 
ing of  bright  green  leaves.  She  was 
baptized  Isabel,  which  might  perhaps 
have  continued  henceforth  her  name, 
had  it  not  pleased  God  about  three 
months  after  her  birth,  to  cause  her 
mother  to  perceive  on  the  face  of  her  in- 
fant daughter  sleeping  in  her  cradle,  the 
figure  of  a lovely  rose.  Thus  admonished, 
she  called  her  by  the  name  of  that 
flower.  Although  the  Archbishop  of 
Lima  gave  her  this  same  name  at  her  con- 
firmation, yet  our  Saint  had  some  scruple 
in  the  use  of  it : since  it  was  not  the  name 
she  had  received  at  her  baptism,  and  she 
feared  also  lest  this  might  minister  to  her 
vanity;  until  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary 
had  indicated  to  her  the  will  of  God  con- 
cerning it.  She  one  day  went  to  the  church 
(4) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

of  the  Friar  Preachers,  threw  herself  at 
the  feet  of  her  Holy  Mother  in  the  chapel 
of  the  Rosary,  and  poured  out  to  her  the 
perplexity  she  felt.  Mary  condescended 
to  her  request,  conseled  her,  and  bid  her 
be  of  good  cheer  : the  name  of  Rose,  she 
said,  was  pleasing  to  her  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  and  that  as  a proof  of  the  love  she 
bore  her,  she  should  be  called  hencefor- 
ward Rose  of  St.  Mary. 

Her  childhood  was  singularly  patient 
and  docile,  and  bore  a marked  resem- 
blance to  that  of  St.  Catharine  of  Sienna. 
It  is  recorded  of  her  that  when  she  was  yet 
an  infant,  she  already  gave  proof  of  that 
heroic  patience  under  suffering  which 
was  soon  to  be  the  rule  of  her  life. 
Some  one  had  carelessly  pinched  her 
thumb  by  hastily  shutting  of  a box ; in- 
stead of  breaking  out  into  loud  and 
plaintive  cries,  as  other  children  would, 
(5) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA 


she  took  the  utmost  pains  to  conceal  the 
suffering  she  endured.  When  by  her 
silence  the  hurt  had  grown  worse,  and  she 
hod  lost  part  of  her  nail,  the  surgeon  was 
obliged  to  use  pincers  to  extract  so  much 
of  it  as  still  remained  in  her  flesh.  The 
torture  of  this  operation  she  bore  with 
such  singular  sweetness  that  the  operator 
remarked  that  never  once  did  she  utter  a 
scream,  or  even  change  countenance, 
which  would  have  been  accounted 
miraculous  even  in  a person  of  riper  years. 

It  was  the  same  in  other  instances 
of  a similar  kind.  At  the  age  of  four 
years,  she  was  troubled  with  a sort 
of  disorder  in  her  head  which  ren 
dered  it  necessary  for  her  mother  to 
dress  it  with  powder  so  corrosive  and 
burning,  that  it  caused  her  to  shudder 
from  head  to  foot,  and  produced  a number 
of  ulcers  on  the  skin,  which  gave  her 
(6) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

excessive  pain.  Yet  she  never  complained, 
and  wlien  the  surgeon  who  attended  bei 
every  day  for  six  weeks,  cut  off  a small 
portion  of  flesh  that  new  might  grow  in 
its  place,  even  this  she  suffered  in  imita- 
tion of  her  Lord,  with  incredible  firmness 
and  constancy.  Her  little  brother  was  the 
instrument  under  God  to  teach  her  to 
despise  the  vain  things  of  this  transient 
world.  One  day  playing  near  her,  he 
accidentally  threw  a quantity  of  mud 
on  her  hair.  Being  neat  and  orderly  in 
her  attire,  she  was  naturally  vexed  at 
this,  and  was  on  the  point  of  going  away 
in  a sullen  mood,  when  he  said  to  hei 
with  unexpected  gravity,  as  though  the 
voice  had  come  from  God : “ My  dear 
sister,  do  not  be  angry  at  this  accident ; 
for  the  curled  ringlets  of  girls  are  hellish 
cords,  which  enchain  the  hearts  of  men 
and  miserably  drag  them  into  everlasting 
(?) 


1 

— 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

flames.”  Rose  hearkened  to  these  words 
as  if  they  had  been  pronounced  by  a holy 
preacher  of  God,  or  as  an  oracle  from 
Heaven.  She  communed  with  herself— 
renounced  this  world  for  ever,  gave  her- 
self up  with  entire  devotion  to  God,  and 
conceived  the  greatest  horror  of  the  least 
approach  to  sin.  From  this  moment  she 
received  the  gift  of  prayer.  Day  and 
night  did  she  devote  herself  to  this  holy 
converse  with  God,  and  not  even  did 
sleep  interrupt  her  prayers ; for  during 
her  repose,  her  imagination  painted  so 
many  lively  images  of  her  Lord  and 
Savior,  with  which  her  mind  entertained 
itself,  that  she  might  be  said  never  to 
have  ceased  to  pray.  It  was  here  that 
she  received  a call  from  God  to  follow  in 
the  footsteps  of  St.  Catharine  of  Sienna. 

It  was  here  that  she  was  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  consecrate,  by  an  irrevoca- 
(8) 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

ble  vow,  at  the  age  of  five  years,  her 
virginal  purity  to  Almighty  God,  and 
solemnly  to  promise  never  to  have  any 
other  Spouse  but  Him  alone.  We  are 
taught  in  the  fourth  commandment  that 
we  should  honor  and  obey  our  parents 
in  all  tilings  lawful ; and  no  saint  has  set 
us  a brighter  example  of  exact  obedience 
to  this  law  than  St.  Rose  of  Lima.  She 
managed  so  well,  and  herein  she  is  espec- 
ially worth  of  our  imitation,  that  she  ex- 
ecuted with  perfect  obedience  whatever 
her  father  and  mother  commanded  her, 
without  omitting  the  least  part  of  her 
duty  towards  God.  There  are  some  things 
which  we  cannot  do  even  to  please  our 
parents  ; and  St.  Rose  has  taught  us  the 
way  to  act  in  such  perplexity,  when  it 
would  seem  clear  that  while  God  com- 
mands one  thing,  our  parents  command 
another.  Let  us  see  what  she  did.  Her 
(9) 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

mother,  like  many  other  mothers,  who 
value  too  highly  the  fleeting  things  of 
this  world,  often  begged  her  to  take  care 
of  her  beauty,  and  even  desired  her  to  use 
washes  and  paint  to  preserve  its  freshness  ; 
but  Rose,  rightly  deeming  this  to  be  con- 
trary to  the  modesty  and  simplicity  which 
became  a Christian  maiden,  entreated  her 
so  earnestly  not  to  oblige  her  to  do  this, 
and  not  to  imitate  those  mothers  who 
sacrifice  the  salvation  of  their  children 
to  their  own  ambition,  that  she  by  degrees 
persuaded  her  to  think  differently. — 
Another  time  her  mother  made  her  wear 
a band  of  flowers  on  her  head.  She 
obeyed ; bnt  she  sanctified  her  obedience 
by  the  painful  mortification  which  she 
added  to  it.  She  thought  of  the  cruel 
thorns  which  had  once  lacerated  the 
head  of  her  Redeemer,  and  in  humble 
imitation  of  His  sufferings,  she  took  the 
(10) 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 


wreath,  and  fixed  it  on  her  head  with  a 
large  pin,  which  pierced  so  deep  into  her 
flesh,  that  it  could  not  be  drawn  out  with- 
out the  aid  of  a surgeon,  and  even  then 
with  much  difficulty.  That  she  might 
not  join  in  those  vain  assemblies  and 
visits,  of  which  the  world  is  so  fond,  she 
was  in  tire  habit  of  rubbing  her  eyes 
with  pimento,  a kind  of  burning  Indian 
pepper,  which  rendered  her  eyes  as  red 
as  fire  and  so  painful,  that  she  could  not 
bear  the  light.  To  her  mother,  who  remon- 
strated with  her,  she  replied:  “ It  would 
be  much  better  for  me,  my  dear  mother, 
to  be  blind  all  the  rest  of  my  life,  than  to 
be  obliged  to  see  the  vanities  and  follies 
of  the  world.” 

The  uncommon  beauty  of  St.  Rose, 
joined  to  her  agreeable  manners  and 
conversation,  led  many  to  desire  her 
hand,  and  captivated  admirers  from  all 
(il) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  EOSE  OF  LIMA. 


quarters.  In  order  to  extinguish  the  flames 
of  passion  which  burned  in  the  hearts  of 
others,  she  used  many  artifices  to  disfigure 
herself.  She  made  her  face  pale  and  livid 
with  fasting,  she  washed  her  hands  in  hot 
lime  to  take  the  skin  off  them.  She  re- 
moved to  Canta,  a little  village  near  one 
of  the  most  celebrated  mines  in  Peru,  and 
remained  there  four  entire  years  without 
leaving  the  house.  It  was  about  this  time 
that  she  was  asked  in  marriage  by  the 
only  son  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
ladies  of  the  city.  The  proposal  was  very 
agreeable  to  her  mother,  who,  having 
eleven  children  to  provide  for,  was  happy 
at  the  prospect  of  an  alliance  so  ad- 
vantageous to  her  daughter.  But  Rose 
had  given  her  virginity  to  God ; and  hav- 
ing a perfect  abhorrence  of  the  very 
thought  of  marriage,  openly  declared  that 

she  would  never  consent.  Threats  and 
(12) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

caresses  were  alike  vain.  Blows  and 
injuries  were  Leaped  upon  lier  by  her 
parents  ; but  with  no  other  effect  than  to 
make  her  more  constant  in  her  resolu- 
tion. She  bore  them  all  as  her  model 
St  Catharine  had  done  before  her. 

In  order  to  defeat  the  machinations  of 
the  enemies  of  her  purity,  she  resolved  to 
put  on  the  habit  of  the  third  order  of  St. 
Dominic.  This  determination  vas  con- 
firmed by  two  miracles.  She  doubted  of  her 
vocation  and  had  some  intention  of  enter- 
ing the  monastery  of  the  Incarnation, 
where  the  nuns  were  anxiously  expecting 
her ; but  before  setting,  out,  she  went  to 
bid  farewell  to  our  Blessed  Lady  in  the 
Chapel  of  the  Rosary,  belonging  to  the 
Convent  of  St.  Dominic.  She  remained 
on  her  knees  at  prayer  for  a considerable 
time  at  the  foot  of  the  altar ; and  when 
she  had  finished  her  prayer,  she  tried  to 
(13) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

rise,  but  could  not  succeed.  She  called 
her  brother  to  aid  her,  who  pulled  her 
violently  by  the  hand,  without  being  able 
to  stir  her  from  the  spot.  She  immediately 
understood  this  to  be  an  intimation  from 
Heaven,  that  she  was  not  to  leave  St. 
Dominic  ; and  no  sooner  had  she  come  to 
a resolution  not  to  prosecute  her  design, 
and  to  return  home,  than  she  was  able 
to  rise  and  leave  the  Chapel  without 
difficulty. 

In  the  vast  plains  of  Lima,  amidst  the 
countless  butterflies  that  flit  to  and  fro  in 
the  sunshine  of  that  lovely  climate,  there 
is  one  prettily  marked  with  black  and 
white,  the  colors  of  the  habit  of  St. 
Dominic.  One  of  these  insects  came  and 
fluttered  continually  around  her ; and  as 
she  was  then  looking  about  for  indications 
of  the  will  of  God,  she  took  this  to  be  a 

second  intimation  from  Him,  that  she 
(14) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

should  again  follow  the  steps  of  St 
Catharine,  and  become  a religious  of  the 
third  order  of  St.  Dominic.  She  received 
the  habit  solemnly  at  the  age  of  twenty, 
from  the  hands  of  the  Rev.  Father 
Alphonso  Velasquez,  on  the  10th  day  of 
August,  1606.  Here  however,  her  hu- 
mility met  with  a sore  trial.  She  had 
hoped  to  live  secluded  from  the  world  as 
an  humble  religious ; but  she  found  that 
her  new  state  showed  her  forth  as  a light 
in  the  house  of  God ; that  she  was  the 
theme  of  every  conversation  ; was  pointed 
out  in  the  streets  and  praised  by  every 
one.  She  would  fain  have  quitted  the 
order  for  one  of  stricter  observance,  had 
not  her  Blessed  Mother,  to  whom  she 
always  imparted  her  sorrows,  shown  her 
that  the  will  of  Almighty  God  was,  that 
she  should  continue  in  the  state  which 
she  had  chosen. 

(15) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FOSE  OF  LIMA. 


There  are  two  virtues  which,  it  may  be, 
beyond  all  others,  especially  distinguish 
the  saints : and  these  are  humility  and 
purity.  These  virtues  q^e  so  intimately 
linked  together  in  a holy  bond,  as  it 
were,  that  they  cannot  be  separated. 
Holy  writers  in  the  Catholic  Church  are 
wont  to  say,  that  the  foul  vice  of  im 
purity  is  almost  always  the  punishment  of 
pride,  and  that  lie  who  would  overcome 
this  abominable  sin,  must  first  learn  to  be 
humble.  St.  Rose  was  both  humble  and 
chaste  to  a pre-eminent  degree.  Humble, 
for  she  always  chose  for  herself  the 
meanest  occupations  of  the  house,  and 
considered  herself  infinitely  below  a ser- 
vant, she  would  frequently  cast  herself 
at  the  feet  of  a poor  country  girl  named 
Mariana,  who  worked  in  the  house,  and 
entreat  her  earnestly  to  beat  her,  to  spit 

upon  her,  to  trample  her  under  her  feet, 
(16) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA 

and  treat  lier  as  tlie  most  contemptible 
creature  in  the  world.  When  she  received 
blows  and  harsh  words  on  account  of  the 
life  she  led,  she  suffered  them  with  perfect 
humility  and  patience,  and  firmly  be- 
lieved, that  by  her  own  fault  she  had 
brought  upon  herself  this  injurious  treat- 
ment. She  thought  herself  a burden,  use- 
less to  the  world,  and  odious  to  nature  : 
and  if  any  misfortune  befell  the  family, 
she  said  it  was  her  own  sins  that  had 
drawn  it  down  as  a chastisement  from 
Heaven.  One  day  when  Michael  Garrez, 
Canon  of  the  Cathedral  of  Lima,  was 
heard  to  praise  her  in  the  course  of 
conversation,  and  extol  the  favors  she 
had  received  from  Almighty  God,  she 
retired  to  her  chamber,  where  she  began 
to  strike  her  breast,  and  to  weep  and 
groan  in  the  presence  of  God:  and  to 

punish  herself  for  giving,  as  she  thought, 
(17) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

a false  opinion  of  herself  to  men,  she 
gave  herself  several  violent  blows  on 
the  head,  to  force  in  more  deeply 
the  iron  points  of  the  crown  which  she 
always  wore  concealed  under  her  veil,  and 
of  which  we  shall  presently  speak. 

Pure  she  was  to  such  a degree  of  per- 
fection, that  eleven  learned  religious,  six 
of  the  order  of  Friar  Preachers  and  five  of 
the  Society  of  Jesus,  who  several  times 
heard  her  general  confessions,  have  de- 
posed upon  oath,  that  she  attained  to  a 
purity  of  heart  similar  to  that  of  the  angels 
in  Heaven,  and  that,  diming  the  whole 
course  of  her  life,  which  lasted  thirty-one 
years,  she  never  was  guilty  of  any  venial 
sin  of  impurity ; and,  what  is  something 
miraculous,  she  was  never  assailed  with 
impure  thoughts,  from  which  even  the 
most  cherished  and  favored  saints  of  God 
have  not  been  exempt. 

(18) 


THF  LIFE  OF  ST.  FOSE  OF  LIMA. 

Her  fasts  and  austerities  were  truly 
astonishing,  and  such  as  only  the  grace 
of  God  can  enable  the  greatest  of  saints 
to  impose  upon  themselves.  At  six  years 
of  age,  she  began  to  fast  three  times  a 
week  on  bread  and  water.  At  fifteen  she 
made  a vow  never  to  eat  meat,  unless 
compelled  by  those  who  had  authority 
over  her,  and  whom  she  thought  she  could 
not  disobey  without  sin.  Her  mother, 
seeing  her  face  pale  and  emaciated  with 
long  fasting,  used  to  blame  her  conduct, 
and  even  wished  to  persuade  her  that  she 
committed  a mortal  sin,  by  denying  her- 
self the  necessary  nourishment  for  the 
preservation  of  life.  She  obliged  her  to 
sit  at  table  with  the  rest  of  the  family,  and 
fare  as  the  others  did.  But  St.  Rose 
would  beg  the  servant  to  offer  her  only  a 
sort  ol  dish  made  without  salt,  composed 
of  a crust  of  coarse  bread  and  a handful  of 
(19) 


THF  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

veiy  bitter  herbs.  It  was  thus  that  she 
found  a voluntary  mortification  at  the 
same  table  where  others  sought  to  gratify 
their  appetite.  She  was  accustomed  to 
gather  wild  herbs  in  the  forest,  and  to 
cultivate  them  carefully  in  her  own 
garden,  that  she  might  have  the  materials 
for  self-denial  always  ready  at  hand. 
One  of  her  favorite  repasts,  which 
seemed  to  her  the  most  delicious,  as 
it  was  the  bitterest,  was  to  eat  the 
leaves  of  the  granadilla  or  passion  flower  ; 
the  flowers  of  which  represent  so  exactly 
the  crown  of  thorns,  the  nails,  the  pillar, 
and  the  other  instruments  of  the  Passion 
of  the  Son  of  God.  Her  fast  in  general 
was  so  strict  and  rigorous,  that  in  twenty- 
four  hours  she  took  nothing  but  a piece  of 
bread  and  a little  water.  She  observed 
exactly  the  seven  months’  fast  of  her 
order,  from  the  festival  of  the  Exaltation 
(20) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

of  the  Holy  Cross  till  Easter.  From  the 
beginning  of  Lent  she  left  off  bread, 
contenting  herself  with  a few  orange  pips 
every  day  of  the  forty  that  are  consecrated 
to  penance  ; on  Fridays  she  took  only 
five,  during  the  rest  of  the  year  she  ate 
so  little,  that  in  eight  days  she  would 
scarcely  take  sufficient  nourishment  for 
twenty-four  hours. 

She  was  known  to  make  a moderate 
sized  loaf  and  a pitcher  of  water  last  fifty 
days.  Another  time  she  remained  seven 
weeks  without  drinking  a drop  of  w^ater 
or  any  other  liquor  ; and  towards  the 
end  of  her  life  she  sometimes  passed 
several  successive  days  without  eating  or 
drinking.  Her  supernatural  abstinence 
was  wrell  known  to  all  the  inhabitants  of 
Lima:  it  was  generally  believed  that 
she  passed  weeks  without  eating  or  drink- 
ing, and  that  when  necessity  compelled 
(21) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 


her  to  assuage  the  burning  heat  which 
consumed  her,  she  would  drink  it  warm, 
in  order  to  mortify  the  pleasure  which 
she  would  have  enjoyed  from  drinking 
cold  water. 

Nor  was  she  content  to  emaciate  her 
delicate  body  by  fasting  alone.  She 
daily  drew  from  her  flesh  streams  of 
blood  with  her  iron  chains,  and  other 
instruments  of  penance.  After  she  be- 
came a nun,  she  was  not  content  with  a 
common  sort  of  discipline  : she  made  one 
for  herself  of  two  iron  chains,  with  which 
she  gave  herself  such  frightful  blows  every 
night,  that  her  blood  sprinkled  the  wall, 
and  made  a stream  in  the  middle  of  the 
room.  She  disciplined  herself  seven  times ; 
first,  for  her  own  sins  ; secondly  for  souls 
engaged  in  sin  ; thirdly,  for  the  urgent 
needs  of  the  Church ; fourthly,  when 
Peru  or  Lima  was  threatened  with  some 
(22) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  EOSE  OF  LIMA. 

great  misfortune ; fifthly,  for  the  souls  in 
Purgatory;  sixthly,  for  those  in  their 
agony  ; seventhly,  in  reparation  for  the 
outrages  offered  to  God. 

When  her  confessor,  alarmed  at  the  ex- 
cess of  her  disciplines,  had  ordered  her  to 
discontinue  to  discipline  herself  with  her 
iron  chain,  she  made  it  into  three  rows, 
and  wore  it  round  her  body,  and  after 
passing  the  ends  through  the  ring  of  a pad- 
lock she  threw  the  key  into  a corner  where 
it  could  not  be  found.  This  chain  very 
soon  worked  its  way  through  the  skin, 
and  cut  the  flesh  so  deeply,  that  it 
buried  itself,  and  was  no  longer  visible. 
One  night  she  felt  so  sharp  an  agony 
from  it  that  she  fainted,  and  was  at  the 
point  of  death.  The  servant,  awakened 
by  the  cry  she  uttered,  ran  speedily  to 
her  assistance.  Rose,  being  now  obliged 
to  confess  the  truth,  begged  her  to  help 
(23) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA 

her  to  take  off  the  chain,  before  her 
mother  should  come  into  the  room. 
Mariana  was  unable  to  break  the  padlock, 
and  ran  into  the  garden  to  fetch  a stone 
for  that  purpose.  While  she  was  gone, 
Rose  fearing  her  mother  would  surprise 
them,  had  recourse  to  prayer.  She  was 
heard  : and  Mariana  entering  with  her 
stone,  saw  the  padlock  open  of  itself  and 
separate  from  the  links  of  the  chain ! 
Thus  they  succeeded  in  taking  it  off, 
though  not  without  great  pain  and  great 
loss  of  blood. 

No  sooner  were  her  wounds  healed 
than  she  put  the  chain  on  again : but 
as  soon  as  it  had  entered  her  flesh,  her 
confessor  ordered  her  to  send  it  to  him, 
and  in  obeying  him  she  suffered  the 
Bame  pain  and  loss  of  blood  as  before. 
After  her  death,  Mary  of  Usategui  kept 
Borne  links  of  this  bloody  chain,  w hich 

(24) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

exhaled  so  sweet  an  odor  that  every  one 
confessed  it  to  be  supernatural. 

Besides  this  chain,  she  wore  a most 
severe  hair  shirt,  mixed  with  the  points  of 
needles  : and  rubbed  herself  with  nettles 
and  thorns,  making  her  body  one  entire 
wound  and  blister.  Being  still  insatiable 
in  her  desire  of  pain,  she  determined  yet 
more  exactly  to  copy  her  Lord  and 
Savior,  who  had  worn  a crown  of  thorns 
for  her  and  our  sake.  When  very  young, 
she  made  herself  a crown  of  pewter, 
studded  with  little  sharp-pointed  nails, 
which  she  wore  several  years  of  her 
innocent  life.  In  after  years  she  con- 
structed a circlet  of  a plate  of  silver, 
three  fingers  broad,  in  which  she  fixed 
three  rows  of  sharp  points  in  honor  of 
the  thirty-three  years  which  the  Son  of 
God  lived  on  Earth.  Cutting  off  her 
hair,  that  the  points  might  enter  more 

(25) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

freely,  she  wore  this  crown  beneath  her 
veil,  in  such  a way  that  the  least  agita- 
tion or  motion  of  her  body  caused  these 
iron  thorns  to  tear  her  flesh  and  pierce 
her  head  in  ninety-nine  places.  Every 
Friday  she  tied  this  circlet  more  tightly, 
and  made  it  come  down  upon  her  fore- 
head, till  it  pierced  the  cartilage  of  her 
ears  in  many  places. 

From  her  infancy  she  invented  many 
means  of  making  her  bed  hard,  till  her 
mother  made  her  sleep  with  her.  Even 
then,  she  continued  to  mortify  herself  in 
her  obedience.  As  soon  as  her  mother 
was  asleep,  she  drew  on  one  side  the 
feather  bed  on  which  she  had  been  lying, 
laid  herself  on  the  bedstead,  and  placed 
a stone  under  her  head  for  a pillow.  At 
length,  her  mother  in  displeasure  bid  her 
sleep  as  she  liked.  She  then  made  her- 
self a bed  in  the  form  of  a chest,  and  filled 
(26) 


THE  LIFE  LF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

it  with  rough  stones  of  different  sizes. 

The  bed  still  seeming  too  soft,  she 
added  three  pieces  of  twisted  knotted 
wood,  and  filled  up  the  space  with  three 
hundred  pieces  of  broken  tiles,  placed 
so  as  to  wound  and  tear  the  body.  Upon 
this  terrible  cross  she  never  placed  herself 
without  trembling  and  shuddering,  while 
the  blood  seemed  to  freeze  in  her  veins. 

On  these  occasions,  J esus  Christ  often 
appeared  to  her  to  console  her,  saying 
with  a sweet  and  gracious  countenance  : 
“ Remember,  my  child,  that  the  bed  of 
the  cross  on  which  I died  for  the  love  of 
thee,  was  harder,  narrower,  and  more 
painful  than  that  on  which  thou  best. 
Think  of  the  gall  which  I drank  for  thy 
sake,  and  call  to  mind  the  nails  which 
pierced  My  hands  and  feet ; thou  wilt  then 
feel  comfort  in  the  terrible  pains  thou 
eufferest  on  thy  bed.” 

127) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  EOSE  OF  LIMA. 

In  order  to  live  quite  separate  from 
men,  she  built  herself  a little  hermitage 
in  her  father’s  garden,  where  she  was 
favored  with  many  signal  visions  and 
miracles ; and  amongst  the  rest,  Jesus 
Christ  Himself  once  appeared  to  her  and 
took  her  for  His  spouse  in  the  presence 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  saying  to  her : 
u Rose  of  My  heart,  I take  thee  for  My 
spouse.” 

By  means  of  mental  prayer,  in  which 
she  exercised  herself  with  the  most  ardent 
love  of  God,  she  attained  to  the  closest 
and  most  intimate  union  with  Him,  and 
was  never  out  of  His  holy  presence. 
The  very  birds  felt  the  influence  of  her 
holiness,  and  joined,  as  it  were,  in  Her 
devotions.  One  day  when  she  was  ill,  a 
little  bird  came  and  perched  near  the  win- 
dow of  her  room,  and  began  to  sing; 
whereupon  our  saint  applied  herself  so 
(28) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

earnestly  to  consider  tlie  goodness  of  God, 
wlio  had  given  this  bird  so  sweet  a note 
to  sing  His  praises,  that  she  was  ravished 
into  an  ecstacy,  in  which  she  continued 
from  nine  in  the  morning  till  evening. 

The  year  of  her  death,  another  bird, 
whose  melody  was  most  charming, 
perched  himself  opposite  her  room  diming 
the  whole  of  Lent ; as  soon  as  the  sun 
began  to  set,  the  blessed  Rose  ordered  him 
to  employ  his  notes  in  praising  God  ; he 
obeyed,  and  raising  his  voice,  sung  with 
all  his  might,  till  this  handmaid  of  Christ, 
unwilling  to  be  outdone  by  a bird 
in  offering  to  God  canticles  of  praise  and 
benediction,  began  very  sweetly  to  sing 
hymns  to  His  glory : when  she  had 
finished,  this  little  chorister  began  again, 
and  thus  together  they  composed  a choir 
in  which  they  sang  alternately  for  an 
hour  the  praises  of  God.  At  six  o’clock, 

(29) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 


she  dismissed  liim  till  the  next  day,  and 
he  never  failed  to  appear  at  the  time 

fixed. 

Our  saint  loved  Jesus  Christ  and  His 
Blessed  Mother,  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  St. 
Catharine  of  Sienna  and  her  guardian 
angel,  with  so  fervent  a love,  that  they, 
to  reward  her,  often  visited  her,  and  con- 
versed with  her  in  a familiar  manner, 
and  taught  her  how  to  gain  victories  over 
the  devils  who  appeared  to  her  and  tempt- 
ed her  to  sin,  and  favored  her  with 
many  special  revelations.  She  had  in  this 
way  learned  that  she  should  die  on  St. 
Bartholomew’s  day.  Having  attained  her 
thirty-first  year,  she  not  only  knew  that 
her  hour  was  come,  hut  also  that  in  her 
passage  from  life  to  death  she  must  endure 
incredible  torments.  On  the  first  of 
August,  she  went  to  her  room  at  night  in 
perfect  health ; but  at  midnight  she  was 
(30) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

heard  crying  and  groaning  piteously,  and 
the  wife  of  Don  Gronzalez,  to  whose  house 
she  had  removed  before  her  illness,  found 
her  extended  half  dead  on  the  floor,  cold, 
without  pulse,  motionless,  and  scarcely 
breathing.  The  physicians  came  to  visit 
her  in  that  state,  and  with  them  her  con- 
fessor, who,  fearing  that  her  humility 
would  prevent  her  from  making  known 
the  nature  and  extent  of  her  sufferings, 
commanded  her,  in  virtue  of  her  obedience, 
to  declare  them  to  her  physicians,  as  best 
she  was  able,  “ It  seems,”  said  she,  “ as 
if  a ball  of  fire  wxre  forced  into  my 
temples,  that  it  descended  to  my  feet,  and 
passed  across  from  my  left  side  to  my 
right  with  an  insupportable  heat — as  if 
my  heart  were  lacerated  by  a burning 
dagger : and  the  invisible  hand  which 
guides  it  pierces  me  sometimes  from  held 
to  foci,  and  then  crossing  from  side  to 
(31) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 


side,  engraves  tlie  figure  of  a cross  on 
my  body  with  this  instrument,  which 
bums  me  with  all  the  violence  of  the  hot- 
test fire.  I feel  as  if  my  bowels  were 
being*  torn  out  with  burning  pincers,  and 
my  head  burns  as  if  heated  coals,  just 
taken  from  a flaming  furnace,  were  placed 
upon  it.  In  fact,  I believe  that  when  I 
die,  my  bones  will  be  found  reduced  to 
ashes,  and  the  marrow  dried  up,  from  the 
effects  of  the  burning  heat  which  I endure.” 
All  present  allowed  these  sufferings  to  be 
miraculous,  and  Rose  told  them  that  they 
were  right  in  so  understanding  them ; 
since  they  came  from  God  alone,  and  were 
sent  as  a special  favor  to  her,  that  she 
might  be  conformed  more  entirely  to  her 
Lord  and  Master.  Though  she  suffered 
so  much,  she  besought  her  Divine  Spouse 
not  to  diminish  her  pains ; on  the  contrary, 
she  begged  Him  with  all  the  affection  of 

(32) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

her  heart  to  increase  them,  in  order  to  pun- 
ish her  rigorously  for  the  crimes  of  which 
she  believed  herself  guilty  in  the  sight  of 
Ilis  di  vine  majesty.  God  had  compassion 
on  His  servant;  He  was  moved  by  her  tears 
and  groans,  and  He  preserved  miracu- 
lously her  mind  sound  and  entire  till  her 
last  breath,  amidst  the  vapors  which  the 
burning  heat  of  her  interior  organs  sent  to 
her  brain,  and  which  must  have  caused 
delirium,  if  He  not  preserved  her  from 
it  by  His  mercy.  By  a further  favor 
He  granted  her  the  use  of  her  tongue, 
to  make  known  her  thoughts  till  she  died. 
She  was  often  seen  during  this  last  illness, 
without  any  use  of  her  outward  senses, 
or  in  rap  toes  in  which  her  soul  seemed 
to  leave  her  body,  to  unite  itself  more 
closely  with  God.  Though  she  suffered 
extreme  thirst,  she  did  not  taste  a drop 
of  water  to  assuage  it : after  the  example 
(33) 


THF  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 


of  lier  Spouse,  she  asked  only  for  gall 
and  vinegar  to  increase  the  suffering. 

During  her  illness  she  usually  confessed 
her  sins  every  day ; and  to  dispose  her- 
self better  for  death,  she  made  a general 
confession  of  her  whole  life,  with  such 
marks  of  deep  contrition,  that  her  sighs 
and  groans  were  heard  in  the  room  ad- 
joining. On  the  third  day  she  received 
the  holy  Viaticum  and  Extreme  Unc- 
tion, with  interior  dispositions  suited  to 
the  excellence  of  these  two  sacraments. 
When  the  Blessed  Sacrament  was  brought 
to  her,  she  changed  color ; her  face  be- 
came shining  and  inflamed,  and  amidst 
the  transports  of  joy  which  filled  her,  she 
fell  into  an  ecstacy ; and  after  receiving 
this  bread  of  angels,  she  remained  motion- 
less and  totally  absorbed  in  God.  Al- 
mighty God  had  revealed  to  her  that 

her  soul,  on  leaving  the  body,  would 

(34) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

pass  immediately  to  Heaven  and  would 
not  have  to  suffer  the  pains  of  Purgatory. 

She  often  declared  in  an  audible  voice 
that  she  was  a Christian  and  desired  to 
die  in  the  faith  of  the  Church,  and  that 
she  was  a daughter  of  the  great  St  Domi- 
nic. In  proof  of  this  she  kissed  her 
scapular  reverently,  and  would  have  it 
always  laid  upon  her  in  her  sickness. 
Finally,  to  imitate  the  charity  of  the  Son 
of  God,  she  prayed  with  all  her  heart  for 
those  who  had  offended  her  in  word  or 
deed,  begging  Him  to  load  them  with  his 
graces,  and  to  show  them  the  same  mercy 
which  she  hoped  to  experience  from  his 
goodness  ; and  holding  a little  crucifix  in 
her  hand,  she  could  not  satisfy  herself 
without  kissing  it,  and  repeating  tenderly ; 
“ Father,  forgive  them.”  She  begged 
pardon  of  all  the  servants  of  the  house 
with  tears  in  her  eyes ; she  told  Don 

(35) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 


Gonzalez  that  he  would  soon  he  freed 
from  this  miserable  sinner,  who  had  given 
so  much  uneasiness  and  trouble  to  Ins 
whole  family.  All  melted  into  tears  at 
the  deep  humility  of  this  spouse  of  J esus 
Christ. 

On  the  midnight  of  her  death  she 
heard  a mysterious  noise,  which  an- 
nounced to  her  the  coming  of  her  Lord ; 
she  received  it  with  joy ; and  requested 
her  brother  to  remove  the  bolster  from 
beneath  her  head,  and  to  place  pieces 
of  wood  instead.  As  if  she  had  only 
waited  for  these  pieces  of  wood  to 
die  upon  a soil;  of  cross,  she  said 
twice ; “ Jesus  be  with  me ; Jesus  be  witli 
me : ” and  immediately  afterwards  her 
pure  soul  quitted  her  mortal  oody,  and 
took  its  flight  into  the  bosom  of  God,  to 
take  possession  of  that  Heavenly  inherit' 
ance,  prepared  for  it  from  all  eternity 
(30) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HOSE  OF  LIMA. 


Slie  passed  away  on  the  24th  August,  the 
feast  of  St.  Bartholomew,  in  the  year  1617. 
at  the  age  of  tliirty-one  years  and  five 
months 

According  to  the  custom  of  the  relig- 
ious of  the  third  order  of  St.  Dominic, 
and  by  her  own  request,  she  was  buried 
in  the  church  of  St.  Dominic.  She  was 
followed  to  her  resting  place  by  a great 
concourse  of  all  the  people  of  Lima.  The 
very  highest  classes — all  united  to  do 
honor  to  their  great  saint,  who  had  been 
such  a blessing  and  glory  to  their  city. 
Everywhere  the  people  were  heard  cry- 
ing out,  that  Bose  was  a saint  in  Heaven. 
They  strove  to  obtain  any,  the  smallest 
portion  of  her  relics,  and  if  the  soldiers 
had  not  prevented  them,  they  would  even 
have  cut  off  all  her  clothes  and  two  or 
three  of  her  fingers. 

When  the  body  reached  the  church 

(37) 


TIJE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

door,  signs  of  joy  were  observed  to 
illuminate  her  face,  and  the  statue  of  our 
Blessed  Lady  which  was  in  the  chapel 
of  the  Rosary,  sent  forth  rays  of  light, 
which  seemed  to  be  a miraculous  indica- 
tion of  the  pleasure  she  felt  at  again 
beholding  her  daughter,  who  had  during 
life  honored  her  with  so  much  love  and 
tenderness.  The  confusion  arising  from 
the  devotion  of  the  people  to  St.  Rose, 
was  so  great  that  they  were  obliged  to 
postpone  the  ceremony  of  her  interment, 
and,  for  greater  security,  to  carry  the 
body  into  the  chapel  of  the  Novitiate,  as 
the  most  suitable  place  and  the  most  re- 
tired part  of  the  convent,  to  which  secu- 
lars have  no  access. 

Next  day  the  Bishop  of  Guatimala, 
who  celebrated  Mass,  descended  from  his 
throne  to  approach  the  coffin  and  proceed 
with  the  funeral : but  such  was  the  devo- 
(38) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

tion  of  the  people,  and  such  then'  sorrow 
at  parting  from  the  saint  whom  they  so 
much  revered,  that  they  were  again  ob- 
liged to  promise  to  defer  the  interment  till 
the  next  day.  The  religious  did  not  think 
it  necessary  to  keep  this  promise,  which 
had  been  extorted  from  them  by  the  vio- 
lence and  importunity  of  the  people  ; and 
accordingly,  when  the  crowd  had  dis- 
persed, they  closed  the  doors  of  the 
church,  placed  the  body  in  a coffin  of 
cedar  wood,  and  buried  it  in  the  chapter- 
house  of  the  Order. 

By  the  earnest  desire  of  the  whole 
population  of  Lima,  who  were  anxious  to 
possess  that  treasure  with  which  it  had 
pleased  God  to  enrich  their  town,  the 
Archbishop  and  Dominican  Clergy  con- 
sented that  the  body  should  be  trans- 
ported from  the  cloister  of  the  religious 
into  their  church.  This  august  ceremony 
(39) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 


was  performed  on  the  27th  day  of 
February,  in  the  year  1619,  in  presence 
of  all  the  orders  of  the  town,  the  clergy, 
the  nobility,  and  the  people.  On  open- 
ing the  grave,  an  agreeable  odor  issued 
from  it,  and  the  holy  body  was  to  be 
seen  as  entire  and  the  complexion  as  fresh, 
as  when  it  was  put  into  the  coffin.  She 
was  carried  to  a little  vault  on  the 
right  side  of  the  high  altar ; but,  as  the 
crowd  continually  hastened  thither,  as  to 
a second  ark,  to  implore  assistance,  and 
persons  of  ail  ages  and  ranks  were  seen 
praying  there,  and  offering  presents,  and 
leaving  their  sticks  and  crutches  as  glori- 
ous trophies  of  their  gratitude  for  having 
been  cured  by  her  intercession,  they  were 
obliged,  out  of  reverence  to  the  Adorable 
Sacrament,  to  remove  lier  precious  relics 
to  the  chapel  of  St.  Catharine  of  Sienna, 
where  the  people  could  satisfy  their 
(40) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

devotion  more  conveniently  and  without 
fear  of  irreverence. 

In  the  year  1630,  on  the  17th  May,  the 
Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites,  by  an 
apostolic  brief,  directed  the  Father  Inquisi- 
tors to  examine  canonically  into  the  life, 
actions,  and  miracles,  of  the  servant  of 
God,  Sister  Rose  of  St.  Mary,  religious  of 
the  third  order  of  St.  Dominic.  Two  years 
were  employed  in  the  inquiry,  and  at  the 
conclusion  of  them  they  w ent  to  her  tomb, 
and  having  opened  it  fifteen  years  after 
her  death,  they  found  the  bones  entire, 
covered  with  dry  flesh,  which  exhaled  a 
sweet  odor  like  that  of  roses.  They 
then  proceeded  to  the  chapter  where  she 
had  first  been  buried,  and  though  the 
people  took  earth  from  the  grave  every 
day  to  cure  fever  and  other  diseases, 
they  found- it  quite  full  with  the  exception 
of  about  five  pounds  weight  of  soil ; and 
(41, 


i 


CHE  LIFE  OF  ST.  KOSE  OF  LIMA. 


yet  many  liad  been  carried  away.  The 
brief  of  Clement  IX,  for  the  beatification 
of  St.  Rose,  is  dated  the  12th  February, 
1GG8  ; and  she  was  canonized  three  years 
later,  1G71,  by  Clement  X,  who  appointed 
the  30th  of  August  for  her  feast. 

Many  signal  miracles  followed  by  her 
intercession  after  her  death.  Our  limited 
space  allows  us  merely  to  name  a very 
few  out  of  the  many  which  were  wrought 
by  this  great  saint,  so  wonderful  in  her 
life. 

Magdalen  de  Torrens  was  miraculously 
raised  to  life,  on  her  mother  placing  on 
the  mouth  of  her  dead  daughter  a piece 
of  a garment  which  had  belonged  to  the 
Saint,  in  October,  1627. 

In  the  year  1631,  Anthony  Bran,  a 
servant  of  Madame  Jane  Barette,  died  cl 
a stomach  complaint,  very  common  in 
America.  His  pious  mistress  placed  on 
(.42) 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 

bis  body  a picture  of  St.  Eose  and  be- 
sought her  help.  While  she  was  praying, 
Anthony  came  to  life,  and  went  the  same 
day  to  her  tomb  to  thank  her . 

Many  cripples,  manned  and  disabled, 
received  the  perfect  use  of  their  limbs  ; 
many  others  recovered  from  fever  and 
other  diseases,  by  the  help  of  the  Saint, 
and  one  person  who  had  been  poisoned 
by  his  cruel  wife,  perfectly  recovered  on 
promising  a novena  to  St.  Eose.  Pictures 
of  St.  Eose,  applied  to  persons  afflicted 
with  leprosy,  quinsy,  gout,  headache,  and 
other  maladies,  have  been  the  means  of 
restoring  them  to  health. 

Truly  God  is  wonderful  in  His  Saints  ! 


THE  PRAYER. 

0 Almighty  God,  giver  of  all  good 
things,  who  didst  ordain  tlie  blessed  Eose, 
fortified  with  the  dev/  of  Thy  heavenly 
(43) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST  ROSE  OF  LIMA. 


grace,  to  be  the  flower  oi  patience  and  vir- 
ginity in  the  New  World;  grant  to  us 
Thy  servants,  that  running  in  the  odor 
of  her  sweetness,  we  may  become  a sweet 
savor  to  Christ,  who  liveth  and  reigneth 
with  Thee  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  one  God 
world  wdthout  end.  Amen. 


THE  LIFE 

OP 

SAINT  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE, 

ARCHBISHOP  OF  DUBLIN-. 


OT.  LAUKENCE  was  born  a.d.  1105. 
^ His  father  was  Maurice,  lord  or 
chieftain  of  Hy-Murray,  and  his  mother 
was  a daughter  of  the  princely  house  of 
O’Byrne,  which  for  centuries  ruled  su- 
preme over  a considerable  portion  of  the 
county  Wicklow,  then  called  Kill-Man- 
tain. 

St.  Laurence’s  father  was  the  chief 
prince  of  the  district  now  called  Omurthi, 
whicli  comprises  about  half  of  the  present 
county  Kildare,  i.e.  the  baronies  of  Kil- 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

kea,  Moone,  Narragh,  Rheban,  and  part 
of  the  barony  of  Connell.  After  tbe 
Saint’s  death,  the  family  of  O’Toole  was 
lispossessed  of  their  ancient  principality 
by  Meyler  Fitz  Henry  and  Walter  de 
Riddlesford,  two  of  the  early  English 
invaders,  and  driven  into  the  fastnesses  of 
Wicklow,  where  they  superseded  anothei 
aboriginal  tribe,  and  established  them- 
selves chieftains  oT  princes  of  Imail.  De 
Riddlesford’s  stronghold  at  Castledermot 
now  lies  in  ruins;  the  memory  of  its  rapa- 
cious lord  is  forgotten,  but  that  of  the 
holy  man  whose  progenitors  he  despoiled 
shall  be  in  everlasting  remembrance.  St. 
Laurence  was  the  fourth  and  youngest 
son  of  Maurice  O’Toole,  Prince  of  Hy- 
Murray. 

Messingham’s  “ Garland  of  Irish  Saints  ’ 
tells  us  that  his  parents  wished  to  have 
him  baptized  Constantine,  but  that  the 
[33 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAUREKCE  O’TOOLE. 


sponsors  were  met  on  tbeir  way  to  the 
Church  of  St.  Brigid  of  Kildare  by  a 
man  having  the  reputation  of  a prophet, 
who  insisted  that  this  child  of  promise 
should  be  called  Laurence,  thus,  as  it 
were,  anticipating  that  eternal  laurel 
wherewith  he  was  to  be  crowned  for  all 
those  eminent  virtues  which  were  to  dis- 
tinguish the  future  illustrious  prelate. 

St.  Laurence  was  taken  from  the  bap- 
tismal font  at  a moment  when  his  country 
was  about  to  be  visited  by  one  of  those 
direful  calamities  with  which  Providence 
is  often  pleased  to  punish  the  crimes  of 
peoples  and  princes. 

Dermod  MacMurrough  was  then  Kin<r 
of  Leinster,  and  was  about  fifteen  years 
older  than  St.  Laurence.  This  impious 
prince  was  stained  with  every  crime,  and 
his  whole  life  was  an  uninterrupted  series 
of  excesses  against  God  and  man.  lie 
[3] 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

plundered  and  burned  many  churches, 
say  the  ancient  chroniclers  of  Ireland, 
and  was  constantly  perpetrating  the  foul- 
est atrocities.  His  character  is  best  given 
in  the  words  of  a contemporary  historian . 
“ He  was  a man  of  great  stature  and  large 
frame,  warlike  and  audacious.  From  his 
constant  and  continuous  pursuit  of  war, 
his  very  voice  became  harsh  and  terrify- 
ing; desirous  to  be  feared  rather  than 
lored,  he  wras  the  oppressor  of  the  power- 
ful and  the  advocate  of  the  lowly-born. 
Hostile  to  his  own,  and  hated  by  stran- 
gers, every  man’s  hand  was  against  him, 
and  his  was  against  every  one.”  He  was 
the  Ishmael  of  his  race,  and,  like  his  proto- 
type, u pitched  his  tents  against  his  breth- 
ren.” 

When  Laurence  was  but  ten  years  of 
age,  this  ferocious  Dermod  made  a preda- 
tory incursion  into  the  county  Kildare,  and 
[4] 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

the  father  of  the  future  Saint,  to  avert  the 
fire  and  sword  of  this  infamous  prince, 
was  obliged  to  give  him  his  son  as  a 
hostage. 

The  sacrilegious  king,  wrho  burned  and 
plundered  the  churches  of  Kells  and  Clo- 
nard,  had  little  compassion  for  the  tender 
years  of  his  captive.  Far  from  treating 
him  with  gentleness  or  humanity,  he 
banished  him  to  a most  inhospitable  re- 
gion, where  he  could  barely  find  what 
was  necessary  to  sustain  life,  or  clothing 
against;  the  inclemency  of  the  weather. 
After  suffering  all  the  privations  that  this 
Christian  Pharao  could  inflict,  some 
compassionate  friend  informed  the  father 
of  his  child’s  misery.  Stung  to  madness 
by  the  king’s  inhumanity,  Maurice 
O’Toole  seized  twelve  of  Dermod’s 
soldiers,  and  vowed  that  he  would  slay 
them  if  his  son  was  not  restored  to  him 
[51 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

The  threat  had  its  effect,  and  Dermod,  to 
save  the  lives  of  his  swordsmen,  released 
the  child,  after  two  years  of  captivity,  on 
condition  that  he  should  be  handed  over 
to  the  Abbot  of  Glendaloch. 

At  this  period,  Glendaloch  was  a bishop’s 
see,  for  it  was  not  incorporated  with  the 
Diocese  of  Dublin  till  1152,  when  the 
latter  was  erected  into  an  archbishopric 
There  an  abbot  presided  over  a large 
community  of  monks,  who,  far  away  from 
the  tumults  of  the  world,  made  those  tem- 
ples, once  so  glorious  and  now  so  venera- 
ble even  in  their  ruins,  resound  with  the 
praises  of  God.  Nay,  more,  this  valley, 
chosen  as  a hermitage  by  St.  Kevin  as 
early  as  the  sixth  century,  was  a great 
school,  where  the  scholar  in  quest  of 
knowledge,  when  the  light  of  civilization 
had  almost  gone  out  in  Europe,  came  to 
Qnd  bread  and  book.  Beneath  the  sha- 
r'd 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

dow  of  its  mysterious  round  tower,  and 
along  the  margin  of  its  tranquil  lake, 
many  ana  many  a youth  from  the  most 
distant  regions  applied  himself  to  the 
acquirement  of  that  knowledge  which 
was  so  absolutely  necessary  to  captivate 
the  hearts  of  roving  barbarians,  and  win 
them  to  the  law  of  Christ.  Young  Chris- 
tian,  when  you  stand  amidst  these  or 
other  ruins  of  the  temples  once  sacred  to 
the  worship  of  your  God,  fail  not  to  re- 
cognize in  them  the  antiquity  of  your 
faith.  Let  every  vestige  of  the  once  holy 
place  be  a triumphant  proof  that  the  re- 
ligion which  you  profess  is  that  which 
Celestine  sent  Patrick  to  preach.  The 
crumbling  cross,  the  desecrated  altar,  the 
holy  font,  the  tombstone  that  begs  a 
prayer  for  the  soul  of  the  deceased  whose 
very  bones  have,  ages  gone,  resolved 
themselves  into  their  original  earth— let 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAUKENCE  cf TOOLE. 

these  be  evidences  of  your  religion  which 
none  can  gainsay. 

After  staying  twelve  days  with  the 
bishop  and  abbot,  Laurence  returned  to 
his  father’s  principality. 

When  Laurence  had  completed  his 
twelfth  year,  his  father  brought  him  back 
to  Glendaloch  to  visit  and  thank  the 
bishop  and  abbot.  It  was  now  time  to 
shape  the  youth’s  destinies,  and  Maurice 
O’Toole  may  have  imagined  that  his 
youngest  son  would  bethink  him  of  ac- 
quiring that  military  knowledge  of  which 
he  might  soon  have  need  for  the  defence 
of  his  immemorial  birthrights. 

But  the  parent  little  knew  the  yearn- 
ings of  his  child’s  heart.  Much  as  he 
loved  the  land  of  his  birth — for  to  him 
this  love  was  his  earliest  and  latest  senti- 
ment— his  aspirations  were  not  for  this 
world’s  fading  and  perishable  honors. 

[8] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAUEENCE  O’TOOLE. 

He  longed  not  for  earthly  fame.  Though 
he  alone  was  to  survive  all  his  father’s 
princely  line,  he  cared  not  for  those  sol- 
emn rites  that  would  have  inaugurated 
him  chief  of  his  sept.  In  the  silence  and 
solitude  of  the  region  to  which  Dermod 
had  banished  him,  he  had  communed 
too  long  and  too  deeply  with  his  God, 
and  that  God  had  spoken  to  his  heart, 
and  made  a covenant  with  him.  Ah ! 
how  valueless  in  his  eyes  were  all  the 
mundane  promises  that  paternal  pride 
could  hold  out ! The  white  wand,  the 
symbol  of  a chieftain’s  power,  what  was 
it  compared  to  the  confessor’s  laurel  or 
the  blood-gemmed  crown  of  the  martyr? 
What  mattered  it  to  him  if  his  name  was 
not  to  be  celebrated  in  the  songs  which 
his  country’s  bards  chanted  in  praise  of 
those  who  won  fame  by  martial  deeds  ? 
How  little  worth  were  all  their  eulogies 
[9] 


n 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 


compared  to  a place  in  the  calendar  of 
the  canonized  saints  of  the  Church — to  a 
place  in  that  imperishable  record  where* 
on  God’s  angels  inscribe  the  names  of 
those  who  shine  like  bright  constellations 
above  the  world’s  clouds  and  mists ! 

When,  therefore,  his  father  was  about 
to  decide  his  child’s  destiny  by  a super- 
stitious ordeal,  Laurence  had  already 
made  choice  of  the  state  of  life  to  which 
God  called  him.  All  importunity  was 
set  aside  by  one  simple  answer — “ The 
Lord  is  the  portion  of  my  inheritance  and 
of  my  cup : the  lines  have  fallen  unto  me 
in  goodly  places:  for  my  inheritance  is 
goodly  unto  me.”  The  father  would  not 
thwart  the  designs  of  Providence,  and  he 
therefore  dedicated  his  son  to  God  and 
St.  Kevin. 

Here,  then,  under  the  auspices  of  its 

bishop  and  abbot,  Laurence  applied 
[10] 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  0:T00LE. 

himself  with  all  diligence  to  the  study 
of  literature,  sacred  and  profane.  In  a 
very  brief  space,  he  proved  himself 
superior  to  all  his  competitors  in  learn- 
ing : and  those  who  had  the  direction  of 
his  earliest  studies  rightly  pronounced 
that  his  sanctity  and  abilities  would  one 
day  shed  lustre  on  his  country,  and  give 
forth  a trail  of  light  that  should  not 
disappear  in  ages  to  come.  Like  another 
Samuel  under  Elcana,  says  his  biogra- 
pher, the  boy  progressed  in  knowledge 
and  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  The  grace  of 
God  strengthened  his  heart  against  the 
blandishments  and  seductions  of  the 
world,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  so  flooded  his 
soul  with  supernal  light  that,  like  his 
grand  model,  he  advanced  in  wisdom, 
and  age,  and  grace  with  God  and  man 
So  much  so  that,  when  he  had  attained  bis 
twenty-fifth  year,  he  was  unanimously 
till 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

chosen  abbot  of  that  venerable  monas- 
tery which,  in  the  early  Papal  bulls,  is 
often  styled  the  Valley  of  the  Two  Lakes 
( Vallis  Duorum  Stag  riorum?). 

Our  Saint’s  biographer  informs  us 
that,  during  his  government  of  the  monas- 
tery, there  came  a famine  into  the  land, 
and  that  many  of  the  people  perished  of 
hunger.  This  direful  visitation,  u when 
the  tongue  of  the  sucking-child  stuck  to 
the  roof  of  his  mouth  for  thirst,  and  the 
little  ones  asked  for  bread,  and  there  was 
none  to  break  it  to  them,”  called  forth 
all  the  energies  of  St.  Laurence.  God 
heard  his  prayer  in  behalf  of  the  starv- 
ing multitudes,  and  that  prayer  induced 
the  Giver  of  all. good  gifts  to  open  his 
hand,  and  fill  his  people  with  benediction. 
During  the  four  years  of  this  awful 
chastisement,  nothing  could  exceed  the 
holy  solicitude  of  the  Saint  in  succoring 
[12] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 


those  who  came  to  crave  his  charity.  The 
gates  of  his  monastery  were  ever  open  to 
the  famished  multitudes  who  crawled 
thither,  and  with  his  own  holy  hands, 
even  as  the  humblest  of  his  monks,  he 
relieved  them  in  their  extremity;  ufor, 
although  a ruler,  he  was  not  lifted  up, 
but  was  among  them  as  one  of  them.’* 
This  direful  visitation  impelled  some  un- 
happy people  to  crime ; and  we  find  that 
the  monastery  was  assaulted  by  robbers, 
who,  disregardful  of  God’s  wrath,  com- 
mitted many  sacrileges.  When  outraged 
justice  would  have  laid  violent  hands  on 
the  perpetrators,  St.  Laurence  interposed ; 
for,  like  him  who  was  the  model  of  his 
life,  he  willed  not  the  death  of  a sinner, 
but  rather  that  he  should  be  converted 
and  live.  The  mild  persuasion  that  fell 
from  his  lips  found  its  way  into  obdurate 
hearts ; for  “ he  was  belo\  ed  of  God,  who 
fl3] 


T 


THE  LIFE  OF'  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

made  him  like  the  saints  in  glory,  and 
magnified  him  in  the  fear  of  his  enemies, 
and  with  his  words  he  made  prodigies  to 
cease.”  It  was  during  this  famine  that 
he  distributed  to  the  starving  a large  trea- 
sure deposited  with  him  by  his  father. 
Isolated  from  self,  he  regarded  his  wealth 
as  the  portion  of  the  representatives  of  his 
Redeemer,  thus  bringing  down  on  him- 
self  the  blessings  promised  to  those  “ who 
distribute  and  give  to  the  poor,  whose 
justice  remaineth  for  ever  and  ever,  and 
whose  horn  shall  be  exalted  in  glory.” 

And  now  the  fame  of  Laurence’s  sanc- 
tity sped  abroad  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  Ireland.  Great  was  the 
joy  of  princes  and  people  that  God 
had  raised  up  another  saint  for  the  old 
Celtic  race.  Bending  beneath  the  weight 
of  years  and  austerities,  Gildas,  Bishop 
of  Glendaloch,  was  about  to  lay  down  his 

[14] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  OTOCLE. 

crosier,  and  go  to  the  bosom  of  St.  Kevin. 
The  religious  and  the  people  would  have 
conferred  the  pastoral  staff  on  Laurence ; 
but  his  humility  would  not  allow  him  to 
take  this  most  responsible  charge.  Fur- 
thermore, he  had  not  yet  attained  the  can- 
onical age  prescribed  for  bishops. 

But  God  had  reserved  for  him  a greater 
dignity.  Abilities  and  sanctity  such  as 
his  were  destined  to  have  wider  scope ; 
and  howsoever  much  he  might  yearn  to 
spend  his  years,  and  lay  his  bones  in  the 
valley  of  Glendaloch,  where  blessed  Kevin 
lived  and  died,  it  was  not  meet  that  he 
should  resist  the  unanimous  voices  of 
clergy  and  people  beseeching  him  to  come 
and  seat  himself  on  the  vacant  throne  of 
Gregory,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  who  de- 
ceased a.d.  1162.  In  obedience,  there- 
fore, to  the  suggestions  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Laurence  bade  reluctant  farewell  to  the 

[15] 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAUBENCE  O’TOOLE. 

secluded  scene  of  bis  early  life,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Dublin,  where  he  was  consecrated 
by  Gelasius,  Primate  of  all  Ireland,  and 
successor  of  St.  Malachy.  The  consecra- 
tion took  place  in  the  Cathedral  Church 
of  the  Holy  Trinity,  a.d.  1162.  The 
ancient  Cathedral  of  Dublin  was  the 
Church  of  the  Ploly  Trinity,  built  in  1038, 
when  Sitric  was  King,  and  Donatus  Bish- 
op of  the  Ostinen,  or  Danes  of  Dublin,  and 
it  was  not  styled  Christ’s  Church  till  1541, 
when  Henry  VIII.  sacrilegiously  seized 
its  revenues. 

Now  seated  on  the  archiepiscopal  throne 
of  Dublin,  the  first  care  of  the  holy  pre- 
late was  to  stimulate  the  zeal  of  priests 
and  people  both  by  word  and  example. 
The  historian  of  his  life  dwells  with  par- 
ticular pleasure  on  the  personal  appear- 
ance of  St.  Laurence,  telling  us  that  he 
was  of  elegant  and  comely  stature ; 

m 


THE  L1ITE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

and,  even  at  this  distance  of  time, 
fancy,  aided  by  the  facts  which  sub- 
sequently raised  him  to  the  dignity  of 
a Saint,  can  revive  mellowed  memories 
of  the  period  when  the  anointed  pre- 
late offered  the  holy  sacrifice  within 
the  walls  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  and  raised 
his  venerable  hands  to  bless  the  multi- 
tudes that  prostrated  themselves  in  those 
aisles  and  nave,  where  now,  alas  ! his  very 
name  is  forgotten.  One  of  his  first  acts 
was  to  introduce  the  discipline  and  habit 
of  the  Canons  Regular  of  Aroasia,  for  the 
clergy  of  his  Cathedral  hitherto  had  been 
secular  canons;  and  for  this  purpose  he 
sent  two  of  his  canons  to  Rome,  in  1163, 
to  obtain  the  sanction  of  the  Holy  See. 
He  himself  was  an  exemplar  of  every  per- 
fection to  priests  and  people.  He  was  in- 
stant in  season  and  out  of  season  in  everv 
good  work ; beneath  the  habit  of  his  or 

[17| 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O TOOLE. 

der  lie  invariably  wore  a shirt  of  hair 
cloth ; he  rose  at  midnight  to  sing  the 
holy  office;  and,  when  others  retired  to 
rest  after  this  duty,  he  descended,  says 
his  historian,  to  the  neighboring  cemetery 
to  meditate  on  death,  and  pray  for  the 
souls  of  those  who  lay  there  awaiting  the 
resurrection.  His  charity  knew  no  bounds. 
When  famine  visited  the  city,  he  gave  his 
all  to  alleviate  the  sufferings  of  his  people ; 
sixty  of  them  received  food  daily  at  his 
hands ; and  he  who  was  so  beneficent  to 
others  allowed  himself  not  the  most 
moderate  indulgence.  He  never  ate  flesh 
meat ; and  every  Friday,  remembering 
our  Redeemer’s  passion,  he  took  nothing 
save  a little  bread  and  water.  “ Ah  ! ” 
remarks  his  biographer,  u how  truly  might 
he  have  said,  ‘ I ate  ashes  like  bread,  and 
mingled  my  drink  with  weeping  ’ ! ’’ 

Withal,  this  model  of  mortification  was 
[18] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

hospitable,  courteous,  and  affable.  The 
great  ones  of  the  land  were  invited  to 
his  table ; but  he  himself  partook  not  of 
the  luxuries  which  he  generously  spread 
for  others.  His  chief  delight  was  to 
kneel  before  the  crucifix,  and  commune 
for  whole  hours  with  his  God ; and  this 
crucifix,  says  his  biographer,  spoke  words 
of  hope  and  consolation  to  his  soul,  laud- 
ing him  for  his  sanctity,  and  mayhap  re- 
vealing that,  like  him  whom  he  sym- 
bolized, he,  too,  was  destined  to  ascend 
his  Calvary,  and  have  his  brow  crowned 
with  the  thorny  crown  of  many  tribula- 
tions. 

Amidst  all  the  cares  attendant  on  the 
archiepiscopal  office,  Laurence  never  for- 
got the  Valley  of  the  Churches,  that  tran- 
quil abode  where  he  passed  his  early 
years.  From  time  to  time  he  visited 
Glendaloch,  and,  after  praying  before  the 
[19] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

shrine  of  St.  Kevin,  betook  himself  to  an 
oratory  on  the  upper  lake,  where  naught, 
save  the  rippling  of  the  waters  and  the 
wind  rustling  in  the  foliage  with  which 
the  sacred  valley’s  sides  were  then  cloth- 
ed, broke  on  his  silence  and  retirement. 
During  his  retreat,  be  gave  strict  orders 
that  he  should  not  be  disturbed,  save  for 
matters  of  great  importance.  He  then, 
says  his  biographer,  came  forth,  like  Moses 
from  the  mountain,  all  radiant  and  pre- 
pared to  announce  the  law  of  Christ  to  a 
people  whose  sins  were  about  to  bring 
down  on  them  the  Lord’s  direful  chastise- 
ment. It  would  appear  that  during  one 
of  those  pilgrimages  Heaven  was  pleased 
to  reveal  to  him  the  long  series  of  calami 
ties  which  it  was  about  to  inflict  on  the 
Irish  people,  who  had  outraged  God  by 
their  feuds  and  other  vices.  The  Saint 
predicted  all  the  woes  that  were  to  follow 
[20] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAUBEXCE  O TOOLE. 

their  disunion  and  sanguinary  con- 
flicts ; but,  although  he  forewarned 
that  the  “sword  of  the  Lord  should 
be  swift  and  sudden  ” upon  them,  his 
exhortations  availed  little.  King  Der- 
mod,  not  satisfied  with  * plundering  and 
burning  churches,  sought  to  invade  his 
jurisdiction  by  obtruding  an  unworthy 
person  into  the  abbacy  of  Glendaloch  ; 
but  the  Saint  withstood  him  to  his  teeth, 
and  bestowed  the  office  on  an  unexcep- 
tionable person,  his  own  nephew,  Thomas. 
He  whose  hand  was  against  every  man 
dared  not  resist  the  vindicator  of  the 
Church’s  immunities;  and  the  ferocious 
tyrant,  to  whom  Laurence  was  given  as  a 
hostage  in  his  tender  youth,  shrank  abashed 
before  the  inflexible  determination  of  the 
man  now  grown  to  eminence  and  sanctity. 

In  the  year  1152,  this  Dermod,  being 

then  in  his  sixty-second  year,  carried  off 
[21] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 


Devorgilla,  the  wife  of  O’Rorke,  Prince 
of  Brefny.  The  unhappy  woman  was  then- 
forty-four  years  of  age,  and  her  crime 
was  committed  with  the  consent  of  her 
brother.  This  national  scandal,  that 
brought  such  woes  on  Ireland,  shocked 
the  hearts  of  the  virtuous,  and  ultimately 
realized  the  long  train  of  disasters  which 
the  Saint  predicted.  In  1167,  King 
Roderic  O’Connor  marched  an  army  into 
Leinster,  and,  as  it  were  to  avenge  this 
national  disgrace,  waged  a war  of  exter- 
mination against  Dermod.  In  1168,  the 
traitorous  king  was  driven  out  of  Ireland, 
and  fled  to  Aquitaine,  where  he  threw 
himself  on  the  mercy  of  St.  Thomas  a 
Becket’s  murderer  (Henry  II.),  and  pray 
ed  his  aid  in  the  recovery  of  his  king 
dom.  In  1170,  a band  of  adventurers, 
hired  by  Dermod,  and  led  by  Strongbow, 
landed  at  Waterford,  and,  having  taken 
[22] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  oTOOLE. 

that  city,  marched  on  Dublin,  with  the 
determination  of  seizing  it  and  putting 
its  inhabitants  to  the  sword.  At  this 
critical  moment,  nearly  all  Leinster  had 
been  recovered  for  King  Dermod,  wrho 
gave  his  daughter  Eva  in  marriage  to 
Strongbow,  and  proclaimed  them  his 
heirs.  The  sad  and  disgraceful  result 
was  attributable  not  to  the  superior  valor 
of  the  Anglo-Normans,  but  rather  to  the 
disunion  and  sinful  feuds  of  the  Irish 
princes  and  people,  against  which  St. 
Laurence  had  long  inveighed,  but,  alas, 
how  vainly  ! Now  that  Dermod  and  his 
mail-clad  allies  were  besieging  the  metro- 
polis  of  his  see,  the  holy  archbishop, 
yearning  for  the  safety  of  its  inhabitants, 
and  dreading  the  effusion  of  blood,  deem 
ed  it  his  duty  to  negotiate  a peaceful 
surrender,  and  for  this  purpose  had  ad- 
vanced into  the  enemy’s  lines.  Whilst 
[231 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

employed  in  this  office  of  mercy,  Strong- 
bow’s  soldiers  scaled  the  walls,  and 
entering  the  city  by  surprise,  fell,  sword 
in  hand,  on  the  unfortunate  denizens.  In 
vain  did  the  holy  prelate  strive  to  stay 
the  carnage ; young  and  old,  armed  and 
unarmed,  fell  beneath  the  swords  and 
lances  of  King  Dermod’s  allies ; and, 
when  prayers  for  mercy  failed,  Laurence 
was  everywhere  amongst  the  wounded  and 
dying,  ministering  the  consolations  of 
religion  to  those  who  were  gasping  out 
their  souls  in  the  streets  of  the  city. 
Like  Jeremias,  says  his  biographer,  he 
mourned  over  the  ruin  of  his  people. 
“The  child  and  the  old  man  lie  without 
on  the  ground  : my  virgins  and  my  young 
men  are  fallen  by  the  SAVord:  thou  hast 
slain  them  in  the  day  of  thy  wrath : thou 
hast  killed  and  shown  them  no  pity !” 

Respect  for  Laurence’s  sanctity  restrained 
T241 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

the  conquerors  from  despoiling  his  cathe* 
dral,  but  they  slew  the  citizens  indis- 
criminately. Ah ! hapless  nation,  thy 
sainted  pastor  would  have  gathered  to- 
gether thy  children , as  the  hen  doth  gather 
her  chickens  under  her  wings,  but  thou 
wouldst  not ! 

Thus  was  Dublin  taken  in  1170,  and 
soon  afterwards  died  Dermod  MacMur- 
rogh,  the  cause  of  all  these  disasters. 
“ He  died”  say  the  Chronicles,  “ in  Ferns, 
without  unction , the  hody  of  Christ , or 
repentance , as  his  sins  deserved »” 

Notwithstanding  the  fall  of  Dublin, 
the  holy  fire  of  patriotism  w7as  not  extin- 
guished in  St.  Laurence’s  breast.  Again 
and  again  he  strove  to  unite  his  infatu- 
ated countrymen  in  a defensive  league 
with  the  Danish  population  settled  on 
the  northeast  coast  of  Ireland.  Though 
Dublin  was  in  the  hands  of  the  invaders, 

[25] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAUKENCE  O’TOOLE. 

nothing  would  have  been  easier  than  to 
wrest  it  from  them,  for  they  were  cooped 
up  in  the  city  without  any  hope  of  ob- 
taining provisions.  But  the  demon  of 
discord  was  busy  with  chieftains  and 
princes,  and  although  Roderic,  King  of 
Connaught,  encamped  with  a numerous 
army  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Liffey,  600 
Normans,  sallying  from  the  city,  sufficed 
to  rout  him. 

In  1171,  King  Henry  II.  landed  at 
Waterford,  and  some  of  the  southern 
princes  and  bishops  hastened  to  do  him 
homage  as  Lord  of  Ireland  ; in  the  Christ- 
mas  of  the  same  year,  the  king  came  to 
Dublin,  and  St.  Laurence,  seeing  that 
there  was  no  hope  in  an  inglorious 
struggle,  and  deeming  it  his  duty  to  stay 
the  wanton  effusion  of  blood,  also  made 
submission.  Meanwhile,  he  did  not 
cease  to  labor  for  the  spiritual  and  tem- 
po] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAUBENCE  o’tOOLE. 

poral  welfare  of  Lis  flock.  The  English 
swordsmen  had  spared  many  a widow 
and  orphan  to  mourn  over  the  red  graves 
of  husbands  and  parents.  The  holy  pre- 
late exerted  all  his  energies  to  succor  and 
solace  them.  Famine  came  with  bondage, 
and  Laurence  disbursed  his  all  to  meet 
the  visitation.  Every  day  he  fed  fifty 
strangers,  and  300  poor  of  his  own  dio- 
cese, along  with  others  to  whom  he  gave 
all  the  necessaries  of  life.  About  Christ- 
mas, 1173,  he  assisted  at  the  Synod  of 
Cashel,  in  that  grand  old  Cathedral  which 
now  crowns  Munster  like  a shattered 
diadem. 

In  1175,  he  proceeded  to  Canterbury 
on  a diplomatic  mission  from  King  Rode- 
ric  to  Henry  II. ; for,  as  yet,  neither  the 
north  nor  west  of  Ireland  acknowledged 
the  nominal  sovereignty  of  Henry,  which 
u remained  bounded  by  a line  drawn 
[27] 


l 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAUKENCE  O^TOOLE. 

from  northeast  to  southwest,  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Boyne  to  that  of  the  Shan- 
non.” When  about  to  celebrate  Mass  in 
the  Cathedral,  the  altar  of  which  was 
still  red  with  the  blood  of  St.  Thomas 
k Becket,  a maniac  entered  the  church, 
and,  rushiug  on  the  holy  prelate,  felled 
him  with  a stroke  of  a stave  on  the  head. 
On  being  raised  by  the  attendants,  who 
thought  him  killed,  Laurence  desired  a 
cup  of  water  to  be  brought,  over  which 
he  made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  washed 
the  wound,  staunched  the  haemorrhage, 
and  then  went  on  with  the  Mass.  The 
trace  of  the  wound  was  visible  long  after 
the  decease  of  the  holy  prelate.  Henry, 
wishing,  no  doubt,  to  expiate  his  guilty 
connivance  at  the  murder  of  St.  Thomas, 
would  have  executed  the  maniac,  but  the 
merciful  interposition  of  the  Archbishop 
saved  his  life. 

[28] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O'TOOLE. 

In  1179,  St.  Laurence,  accompanied  by 
Catholicus,  Archbishop  of  Tuam,  and 
other  Irish  prelates,  proceeded  to  Rome, 
jO  assist  at  the  Second  General  Council 
of  Lateran.  Passing  through  England, 
Henry  admonished  him  against  doing 
anything  that  might  tend  to  prejudice 
him  at  the  Pontiff’s  court.  The  admo- 
nition was  an  avowal  of  Henry’s  guilty 
complicity  with  the  organized  bands  of 
armed  marauders  who  were  then  harry- 
ing the  disunited  Irish  people,  and  de- 
spoiling them  of  their  fields  and  home- 
steads. It  would  seem  that  Pope  Alex- 
ander III.  gave  favorable  ear  to  St.  Lau- 
rence’s remonstrances,  and  granted  him 
some  privileges  against  the  royal  authori- 
ty. Amidst  all  the  cares  and  serious  oc- 
cupations that  then  engaged  him,  amidst 
all  the  glories  of  Rome,  he  ceased  not  to 
think  of  his  native  soil ; and  even  when 
[29] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 


he  knelt  within  the  temple  raised  by  Con* 
stantine  over  the  tombs  of  St.  Peter  and 
St.  Paul,  may  we  not  suppose  that  his 
memory  often  reverted  to  the  land  of  his 
fathers,  and  that  his  fervent  prayers  were 
offered  for  the  preservation  of  that  holy 
religion  whose  interests  were  so  dear  to 
his  heart  ? 

Justly  appreciating  the  eminent  quali- 
fications of  the  holy  Archbishop,  and  set- 
ting the  seal  of  his  approbation  on  the 
salutary  reforms  which  the  exigencies  of 
his  times  rendered  necessary  for  the  well- 
being of  the  Church ; and  seeing,  more- 
over, that  he  was  fully  equal  to  defend 
the  liberties  of  the  Church  against  all  at- 
tempts that  might  be  made  on  them, 
whether  by  King  Henry  or  any  of 
his  suzerains,  Alexander  III.  appointed 
Laurence  his  legate,  and  confirmed  his 
jurisdiction  over  the  sees  of  Glenda- 
130] 


t 

I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

loch,  Kildare,  Ferns,  Leighlm,  and  Os- 
eory. 

Once  again  in  liis  metropolitan  see,  he 
found  the  country  suffering  from  famine; 
for,  indeed,  there  was  little  time  for  til- 
lage while  the  work  of  devastation  was 
going  on  between  the  invaders  and  the 
invaded.  Nevertheless,  he  struggled  with 
paternal  zeal  to  supply  the  necessaries-  of 
life  to  multitudes;  and  the  orphan  and 
the  widow  were  the  special  objects  of  his 
fostering  care.  As  many  as  three  hun- 
dred orphans  were  entirely  provided  for 
out  of  the  revenues  of  his  see ; and,  wThile 
his  heart  sickened  at  the  sight  of  the 
misery  to  which  the  country  had  been 
reduced  by  fagot  and  sword,  he  never 
torgot  that  the  poor,  the  naked,  and  the 
famished  wTere  the  representatives  of 
Christ,  and  that  he  pronounced  a bene- 
diction on  him  who  “ understandeth  con- 
[31] 


TH£  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

cerning  the  needy  and  the  poor.”  Nor 
was  he  unmindful  of  his  Cathedral  or  its 
splendor ; both  needed  his  care,  and  he 
therefore  rebuilt  its  choir,  and  erected 
two  chapels  contiguous  to  it : one  sacred 
to  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  St.  Edmund, 
and  the  other  to  St.  Laud,  the  Saxon 
Saint. 

In  1180,  the  English  forces  marched 
from  Dublin,  crossed  the  Shannon,  and 
made  an  incursion  into  Connaught.  This 
incursion  was  made  at  the  instance  of  the 
son  of  Bod  eric,  King  of  Connaught,  who 
had  gone  over  to  the  enemy.  Boderic, 
however,  met  the  invaders  of  his  territory, 
and,  after  a desultory  warfare,  inglorious 
to  both  parties,  drove  the  English  back 
to  Dublin.  At  the  urgent  entreaty  of 
King  Boderic,  St.  Laurence  proceeded  to 
the  court  of  Henry  II , with  powers  to  ac- 
commodate a peace  between  the  two  mon* 
[321 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O TOOLE. 

archs.  Henry,  it  would  appear,  was  in- 
flexible; and,  although  St.  Laurence  of- 
fered him  Roderick  nephew  as  a hostage, 
his  prayers  and  proposal  were  of  no  avail. 
Henry  having  sailed  for  Normandy,  St, 
Laurence  sought  hospitality  in  the  monas 
tery  of  Abingdon,  where  he  fell  sick  of 
fever,  superinduced,  doubtless,  by  his 
anxieties  and  exertions.  Henry,  mean- 
while, had  given  orders  that  the  Irish 
ports  should  be  closed  against  the  Arch- 
bishop, who  had  now  made  up  his  mind 
to  follow  him  into  France. 

Taking  ship  at  Dover,  with  the 
fever  still  on  him,  and  with  heart 
sorely  grief-stricken,  he  lost  no  time 
in  prosecuting  his  mission.  But  it  was 
not  the  will  of  Heaven  that  the  Arch- 
bishop should  see  the  king,  or  return 
to  that  land  which  he  loved  so 
well.  Accompanied  by  one  attendant,  he 

[33] 


! 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

arrived  on  the  highest  point  of  the  coast 
of  Eu.  and,  meeting  some  shepherds,  asked 
them  the  name  of  the  church,  the  towers 
of  which  he  saw  in  the  valley ; they  re- 
plied that  it  was  the  Church  of  St.  Vic- 
tor, belonging  to  the  Regular  Canons. 
u Here,  then,”  said  the  worn  and  wearied 
exile,  “ will  I rest  for  ever  ; this  shall  be 
my  habitation,  because  I have  chosen  it.” 
Abbot  Osbert  hastened  to  meet  him,  and, 
after  the  Saint  had  prayed  before  the 
grand  altar,  he  was  on  his  bed,  and  receiv- 
ed the  holy  viaticum.  Meanwhile,  David, 
the  chaplain  of  Rodericks  nephew,  came 
to  tell  him  that  King  Henry  had  consent 
ed  to  some  of  his  propositions.  Being 
asked  to  make  his  will,  he  observed  that 
he  had  nothing  to  bequeath,  nay,  not  even 
the  pallet  on  which  he  reposed  his  aged 
frame.  Even  then,  whilst  his  soul  was 
hovering  on  the  confines  of  eternity,  his 
[34] 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAtJKEH'CE  O’TOOLE. 

heart  was  in  the  land  of  his  fathers,  and 
those  who  stood  near  could  hear  him 
saying,  “ Miserable  people,  who  now  will 
comfort  you  ? Who  will  heal  your  in- 
firmities ? ” 

Thus,  on  the  14th  of  November,  1180, 
died  St.  Laurence,  Archbishop  of  Dublin. 
At  the  moment  of  his  death,  says  his 
biographer,  there  came  such  a flood  of 
light  into  the  abbey  that  we  believed  it 
to  be  on  Are.  Oh  ! how  admirable  in  the 
sight  of  God  is  the  death  of  his  saints  ! 

In  1186,  St.  Laurence’s  body  was  ex- 
humed, and  found  entire.  Guy,  the 
Abbot,  then  hastened  to  Rome,  where  he 
spent  seven  years  urging  the  canonization 
of  the  holy  prelate,  whom  the  people  had 
already  canonized  for  the  many  miracles 
wrought  by  his  relics.  In  1218,  Honorius 
III.  issued  the  bull  of  canonization ; and 
thus  was  this  scion  of  the  old  Celtic  race 
[35] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

placed  on  the  Calendar  of  Saints.  In 
1226,  Godefrey,  Bishop  of  Amiens,  with  a 
vast  concourse  of  the  French  clergy,  depo- 
sited the  Saint’s  relics  on  the  grand  altar 
of  the  Church  of  our  Lady,  which  thence- 
forth began  to  be  called  the  Church  of 
St.  Laurence.  A portion  of  his  relics  was 
long  preserved  in  his  own  Cathedral  of 
the  Holy  Trinity,  along  with  the  crucifix 
before  which  he  was  wont  to  pray.  'But 
those  sacred  memorials  were  burned  by  a 
fanatic,  who  also  burned  the  crosier  of 
St.  Patrick,  after  he  had  stripped  it  of  the 
gold  and  jewels  with  which  the  piety  of 
princes  and  people  had  enshrined  it.  On 
the  very  spot  where  the  Saint  landed  an 
oratory  was  erected,  and  the  church  which 
contained  his  relics  became  so  frequented 
by  innumerable  pilgrims  that  it  had  to  be 
enlarged.  The  Archbishop  of  Rouen, 
aided  by  the  munificence  of  Lusignan  II 
[36] 


THE  LIFE  OE  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

caused  a magnificent  shrine  to  be  made 
for  the  body  of  the  Saint,  and  amongst 
those  who  wrought  at  this  rich  work  of 
art  was  a gentleman  of  the  city  of  Eu, 
who  had  been  cured  of  a dangerous  ail- 
ment by  the  intercession  of  St.  Laurence. 
This  shrine  was  ornamented  with  the 
figure  of  the  Count  of  Eu,  armed  with 
sword  and  buckler,  on  which  was  in- 
scribed, “ I am  Roland,  the  noble  cava- 
lier.’7 Thus,  in  the  ages  of  faith,  did  the 
French  people  honor  the  canonized  bones 
of  a Saint  of  the  Irish  race.  The  chalice 
that  he  was  wont  to  use  was  religiously 
preserved  in  the  Abbey  of  St.  Victor  till 
1562,  when  it  was  carried  off  by  the 
Huguenots  of  Dieppe.  The  tomb  of  the 
Saint,  however,  escaped  the  vandalism 
of  that  period,  and  still  exists.  It  repre- 
sents St.  Laurence  reclining,  dressed  in 
the  pontifical  vestments  ; his  hands,  fold- 
[37] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

ed  on  Iris  breast,  hold  a broken  staff;  his 
head  is  crowned  with  a mitre,  and  his 
chin  is  covered  with  a flowing  beard. 

But  the  memory  of  the  Saint  has  not 
been  forgotten  in  the  city  of  which  he 
is  the  patron  and  protector.  In  the  year 
of  our  Lord  1844,  the  foundation-stone  of 
a new  temple,  under  the  invocation  of  the 
Saint,  was  laid  by  his  successor,  Daniel, 
who  dedicated  it  June  24th,  1850  ; and 
in  1853,  the  sacred  edifice  was  erected 
into  a parochial  church  by  an  inclult  of 
his  Holiness  Pope  Pius  IX.,  obtained  by 
his  Grace  the  present  Archbishop  of 
Dublin. 

Christian  reader,  if  thou  wouldst  learn 
to  honor  the  memory  of  this  illustrious 
Bishop  and  Confessor,  hear  how  he  is  in* 
voked  in  the  land  of  his  exile  : “ Great 
St.  Laurence,  who  earnest  to  mingle  thy 
apostolic  ashes  with  those  of  the  chival- 
[38] 


T 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

rous  Lords  of  Eu,  thy  sepulchre  has  re- 
mained glorious  with  us  ! In  thine  own 
country,  Catholic  Ireland,  the  Island  of 
Saints,  it  could  not  have  been  circled 
with  greater  homage  than  in  this  Chris- 
tian Normandie,  the  land  of  churches  and 
abbeys.  Thy  coffin  is  uninscribed,  but 
thy  name  is  graven  on  the  hearts  of  the 
people.  From  the  depths  of  their  tombs, 
the  Norman  princes  supplicate  the 
suffrages  of  prayer.  Thou,  in  thy  tomb, 
receivest  the  homage  of  kings  and  the 
prayers  of  the  people.  The  sarcopha- 
guses which  surround  thee  contain  death, 
thine  alone  contains  life.  Ages  gone, 
thousands  of  pilgrims  have  not  ceased  to 
visit  thy  bones,  which  have  performed 
prodigious  miracles.  Thou  art  the  pro- 
tector of  this  city,  which  has  placed  its 
hope  in  thee.  Continue  to  defend  it 
against  the  calamities  which  threaten  its 
[39] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAUBENCE  O’TOOLE. 

frail  existence — dwell  long  time  in  the 
midst  of  these  tombs  of  princes  aud  war- 
riors who  form  thy  court — sleep  in  peace 
in  this  holy  dormitory  till  the  angelic 
trumpet  awakens  from  their  deep  slum- 
ber those  crowned  heads.  Then  will  they 
arise,  wrapped  in  their  cere  cloths  ; but 
thy  glorious  and  transfigured  countenance 
will  fling  out  radiance  in  the  middle  of 
this  people  of  the  dead — yea,  thou  shalt 
be  brilliant  as  the  sun  ; and  the  pontifical 
habits  which  thou  wearest  shall  surpass, 
in  their  spotless  purity,  even  the  dazzling 
whiteness  of  the  snow.” 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O^TOOLK. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  BULL  OF  POPE  HONORIUS  III., 

DECREEING  THE  CANONIZATION  OF 

SI.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

Pope  Honorius  III.  sendeth  to  all  the 
Inhabitants  of  the  Province  of  Pouen 
Health  and  Benediction . 

Whereas,  the  ineffable  providence  of 
God,  disposing  all  things  in  due  order, 
hath,  as  it  were,  regenerated  his  Church 
by  the  splendors  of  its  saints,  nay,  even 
in  the  very  infancy  of  the  Church,  hath 
glorified  its  saints  by  frequent  miracles, 
* to  the  great  astonishment  of  the  Gentiles, 
who,  witnessing  the  wonders  wrought  in 
his  name,  finally  became  numbered 
amongst  the  children  of  his  adoption ; 

And  whereas,  our  venerable  brother 
the  Archbishop,  and  our  beloved  sons  the 
Chapter  of  Rouen,  together  with  the 
Abbot  and  community  of  the  Church 

[41] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  0 TOOLE. 

of  St.  Mary  of  Eu,  Lave  suppliantly 
besought  us,  by  their  letters,  to  place 
in  the  catalogue  of  the  Saints  Laurence 
of  blessed  memory,  Archbishop  of  Dub- 
lin, whose  body  happily  reposes  in  the 
aforesaid  Church  ; and  whereas,  their  sup- 
pliant letters  bear  testimony  to  the  fre- 
quent miracles  by  which  God  has  glorified 
his  servant,  and  which  lead  us  to  believe 
that  this  holy  man  is  now  honored  in 
heaven : 

We,  therefore,  desiring  to  proceed  in  a 
matter  of  such  moment  according  to  the 
usage  of  the  Apostolic  See,  have  notified 
to  the  aforesaid  Archbishop,  by  our  let- 
ters, that  he  should  institute  a diligent 
enquiry  into  the  life  and  miracles  of  said 
Laurence,  in  order  that  we  might  more 
safely  grant  the  prayer  of  the  memorial 
Bent  to  us. 

And  whereas,  those  who  were  charged 

[42] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

with  the  execution  of  our  mandate  could 
not  certify  themselves  concerning  the  life 
and  conversation  of  said  Laurence,  as  he 
was  seized  with  illness  whilst  travelling 
through  Normandy,  and  died  after  eight 
days’  sojourn  amongst  them,  we  ordained 
that  they  should  communicate  with  the 
present  Archbishop  of  Dublin  on  said 
subject. 

And  whereas,  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin 
was  then  occupied  with  the  affairs  of  the 
King  of  England  beyond  the  Irish  Sea, 
he  deputed,  in  his  stead,  our  venerable 
brothers,  the  Bishop  of  Kildare,  his  suf- 
fragan, and  the  Prior  of  the  Holy  Trini- 
ty, who  transmitted  to  us,  through  him, 
letters  sealed  with  his  and  their  seals,  at- 
testing the  miracles  wrought  by  the 
Saint,  and  confirmed  by  competent  wit- 
nesses. 

We,  therefore,  have  learned  from  these 

T43] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O TOOLE. 

letters  that  Laurence  sprang  from  a royal 
race ; that  from  his  earliest  years  he  ad- 
dicted himself  to  the  study  of  sacred  let- 
ters ; that  even  in  his  youth  he  was  dis- 
tinguished by  all  the  gravity  of  a sage  * 
and  that,  at  a period  when  youth  is  wont 
to  be  fascinated  by  such,  he  put  away 
from  him  all  the  illusions  of  mundane 
vanities. 

When  raised  to  be  Archbishop  of  Dub- 
lin, he  progressed  from  virtue  to  virtue, 
till  he  became  assiduous  in  prayer,  austere 
in  his  mortifications,  and  a most  bounti- 
ful giver  of  alms,  thus  wholly  dedicating 
himself  to  God. 

From  the  depositions  of  these  witnesses, 
it  plainly  appears  that  the  holy  life  of 
this  man  has  been  proved  by  miracles  so 
numerous  that  they  should  make  a goodly 
sized  history  were  they  all  committed  to 
writing  seriatim ; not  to  speak  of  the  lame, 
[44] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LAURENCE  O’TOOLE. 

and  the  deaf,  and  the  leprous  who  have 
been  cured  by  the  invocation  of  his  holy 
name,  we  will  here  record  that  his  inter- 
cession restored  seven  dead  men  [one  of 
whom  was  three  days  in  the  grave]  to 
life. 

Since,  therefore,  his  sanctity  has  been 
evidenced  by  such  glorious  miracles,  we, 
guided  by  the  divine  judgment,  have  de- 
creed that  the  name  of  this  holy  man 
should  be  inscribed  in  the  catalogue  of 
Confessors,  and  amongst  those  who 
are  to  be  venerated  by  the  faithful  of 
Christ. 

We,  therefore,  exhort  you  in  the  Lord 
to  profit  by  the  example  of  such  tran- 
scendent virtues,  and  to  implore  with  hu- 
mility the  suffrages  of  this  most  glorious 
Confessor. 

Given  at  Kicti,  a.d.  1218. 

[451 


♦ 


— * 


;■  ' i -V  'I  ft-: 


St.  Jane. 


St.  A tine. 


fHE  LIFE 


oir 


SAINT  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 


birth  of  St.  John  the  Baptist  was 


one  of  the  greatest  events  that  the 
world  ever  witnessed,  for  John  was  sent 
to  announce  to  the  world  that  the  time 
of  its  redemption  was  nigh  at  hand. 

The  parents  of  John  were  Zachary  and 
Elizabeth.  Zachary  was  a holy  priest  of 
the  family  of  Abiu,  one  of  the  twenty- 
four  of  which  the  tribe  of  Aaron  was 
composed.  Elizabeth  also  descended  from 
Aaron ; but  it  would  appear  that  her 
mother  belonged  to  the  tribe  of  Juda,  for 
she  is  described  in  the  Scripture  as  the 
cousin  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary. 


[il 


THE  LIFE  OE 

These  two  spouses  were  just  before 
God  ; that  is  to  say,  as  the  Gospel  explains 
it,  they  observed  in  an  irreprehensible 
manner,  all  the  commandments  and  all 
the  ordinances  of  God.  When  David  had 
regulated  the  service  of  the  temple,  the 
construction  of  which  was  reserved  for 
his  son  Solomon,  he  divided  the  priests 
into  twenty -four  classes,  who  in  turn  were 
to  exercise  the  sacerdotal  functions,  each 
one  for  a week.  The  class  composed  of 
the  family  of  Abiu,  and  from  which  Zach- 
ary sprang,  was  recognized  as  the  eighth 
in  the  times  of  David. 

When  the  turn  for  each  family’s  ser- 
vice in  the  temple  came  round,  the 
parents  of  that  family  drew  lots  to  deter- 
mine who  were  to  officiate  during  the 
week.  The  lot  having  fallen  to  Zachary, 
it  became  his  duty  to  offer  incense  on  the 
golden  altar,  morning  and  evening,  in  the 
[2] 

ji.i  J 11  '.._L  "V -* " 1 h"1  ■ ■ [■—11,1  


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 


interior  recess  of  the  temple,  which  was 
called  the  Holy , or  the  Sanctuary.  One 
day,  whilst  he  was  performing  this  office, 
and  while  the  people  were  praying,  the 
angel  Gabriel  appeared  to  him  on  the 
right-hand  side  of  the  altar.  This  glo- 
rious apparition  filled  Zachary  with  ter- 
ror, but  the  angel  said  to  him,  “ Fear  not, 
Zachary,  for  thy  prayer  has  been  heard, 
and  thy  spouse,  Elisabeth,  shall  give  a 
child  to  the  world,  whom  thou  shalt  call 
John.  Joy  shalt  come  to  thee  at  his 
birth,  for  he  shall  be  great  before  the 
Lord  : he  will  drink  no  wine  nor  any- 
thing that  intoxicates;  and  he  shall  be 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  from  his 
mother’s  womb.  He  shall  convert  a great 
number  of  the  children  of  Israel  to  the 
Lord  their  God;  and  he  shall  walk  be- 
fore him  with  the  power  and  the  spirit  of 
Elias,  to  unite  the  hearts  of  children 


[3] 


THE  LIFE  OF 

with  those  of  their  parents,  and  to  cal] 
the  incredulous  to  the  prudence  of  the 
just,  in  order  to  prepare  a perfect  people 
for  the  coining  of  the  Lord.”  To  this 
Zachary  replied  thus : “ How  am  I to  know 
the  truth  of  what  you  tell  me  ? I am 
old,  and  my  wife  is  advanced  in  years.” 
The  angel  answered : “ I am  Gabriel,  and 
am  always  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord  : I 
have  been  sent  to  speak  to  you  and  bear 
you  these  happy  tidings.  From  this  very 
moment  you  shall  be  struck  dumb,  and 
you  shall  not  be  able  to  speak  till  all  this 
shall  have  come  to  pass,  for  thou  hast  not 
believed  in  my  words,  which  must  be  ful- 
filled in  the  appointed  time.” 

Meanwhile,  the  people  were  waiting 
for  Zachary  to  come  out  of  the  sanctuary, 
nor  could  they  understand  why  he  had 
remained  so  Ions:  hidden  from  their  view. 
When  at  length  he  appeared,  he  could  not 
[4] 


H 


ST.  JOHN  T1IE  BAPTIST, 


speak  to  them,  and  then  they  discovered 
that  he  had  had  a vision  in  the  sanctuary. 
This  he  revealed  to  them  by  signs.  After 
having  performed  his  office  in  the  temple, 
he  retired  to  his  home. 

Some  time  afterwards,  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin came  to  visit  Elizabeth.  As  soon  as 
the  latter  heard  the  voice  of  Mary  salut- 
ing her,  the  infant  leaped  in  her  womb, 
and  she  herself  was  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

At  last  she  gave  birth  to  her  son. 
Eight  days  after  his  birth,  they  prepared 
to  circumcise  him,  and  the  family  wished 
that  he  should  be  called  after  his  father ; 
but  Elizabeth,  being  divinely  inspired, 
said  that  he  should  be  called  John. 
Every  one  was  astonished  at  hearing  this, 
for  there  was  no  member  of  bis  family 
called  by  such  a name.  Zachary  was 
then  asked  by  what  name  the  child  was 
[51 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  be  called.  Having  had  tablets  given 
him,  he  wrote  thereon  : “ John  is  the  name 
which  he  must  bear.”  At  this  moment 
he  received  the  faculty  of  speech,  and 
blessed  God. 

The  noise  of  these  wonders  was  soon 
spread  abroad  ; and  those  who  heard  of 
them  said  one  to  another,  u What  think 
you  shall  this  boy  one  day  be  ? For  the 
hand  of  the  Lord  has  been  with  him.” 
Then  Zachary,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost, 
uttered  these  prophetic  words : “ Blessed 
be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel : because  he 
hath  visited  and  wrought  the  redemption 
of  his  people : 

u And  hath  raised  up  an  horn  of  sal- 
vation to  us,  in  the  house  of  David  his  ser- 
vant. 

“ As  he  spoke  by  the  mouth  of  his 
holy  prophets,  who  are  from  the  begin- 
ning: 


[6] 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST# 

“ Salvation  from  our  enemies,  and  from 
the  hand  of  all  that  hate  us : 

“ To  perform  mercy  to  our  fathers : and 
to  remember  his  holy  testament. 

“ The  oath  which  he  swore  to  Abraham 
our  father,  that  he  would  grant  to  us, 

“ That  being  delivered  from  the  hand 
of  our  enemies,  we  may  serve  him  with- 
out fear, 

“ In  holiness  and  justice  before  him,  all 
our  days. 

“ And  thou  child  (John),  shalt  be 
called  the  prophet  of  the  Highest : for 
thou  shalt  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord 
to  prepare  his  ways. 

“ To  give  knowledge  of  salvation  to 
his  people,  unto  the  remission  of  their  sina 

“ Through  the  bowels  of  the  mercy  of 
our  God,  in  which  the  Orient,  from  on 
high,  hath  visited  us. 

“To  enlighten  them  that  sit  in  dark- 

le 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ness,  and  in  the  shadow  of  death : to 
direct  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace.” 

k‘And  the  child,”  continues  the  Evan- 
gelist, u grew,  and  was  strengthened  in 
spirit:  and  was  in  the  deserts  until  the 
day  of  his  manifestation  to  Israel.” 

Separated  from  all  intercourse  with 
men,  John  consecrated  himself  entirely 
to  the  exercise  of  prayer,  and  led  a 
most  austere  life.  He  wore  a garment 
of  camel’s  hair  and  a leathern  cinc- 
ture about  his  loins;  he  lived  on  such 
things  as  he  found  in  the  desert  — 
locusts  and  wild  honey.  None  but  the 
most  wretched  were  accustomed  to  eat 
locusts,  and  they  boiled  them,  but  John 
ate  them  undressed,  and  without  any  sea- 
soning. 

St.  John’s  retreat  in  the  desert  has  fur- 
nished many  of  the  holy  Fathers  of  the 
Church  with  such  reflections  as  these  : 
rsi 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 


“ John,*’  says  Origen,  “ went  into  the 
desert  where  the  air  is  purer,  the  sky  less 
clouded,  and  where  God  communicates 
himself  with  greater  familiarity.  His  ob- 
ject was  to  devote  himself  to  prayer  in 
the  company  of  the  angels  till  the  time 
of  his  mission  had  arrived.  There  he 
lacked  all  human  consolations ; and  he 
had  not  even  a poor  hut  to  protect  him 
against  the  inclemency  of  the  seasons.  He 
did  not  believe  that  his  office  of  preacher 
of  repentance  should  cause  him  to  dwell 
in  the  midst  of  men,  for  he  continued  to 
inhabit  the  desert.” 

“ It  would  appear,”  says  St.  Jerome, 
u that  the  tenderness  of  his  parents,  who 
were  rich,  should  have  caused  him  to  stay 
with  them ; but  he  thought  only  of  the 
dangers  he  would  have  to  encounter  in 
the  world.  Therefore,  he  retired  into  the 
desert;  nor  would  he  deign  to  turn  tc 
[9] 


THE  LIFE  OF 

earthly  objects  those  eyes  of  his  which 
desired  to  be  fixed  on  Jesus  Christ  alone.” 

John  the  Baptist  commenced  his  public 
life  when  he  had  attained  his  thirtieth 
year,  which  was  the  age  in  which  the 
priests  and  the  Levites  of  the  old  law  be- 
gan to  exercise  their  functions.  The  pro- 
phets long  before  had  announced  him  as 
a herald  who  should  precede  the  Lord,  in 
order  to  prepare  his  way.  “ I send  my 
angel,”  says  the  Lord,  “ and  he  shall  pre- 
pare the  way  before  me;  and  the  Lord 
whom  ye  seek  shall  suddenly  come  to  his 
temple”  (Malachi  iii.)  This  angel,  ac- 
cording to  Jesus  Christ  himself,  was  no 
other  than  John  the  Baptist. 

It  was  in  the  desert  of  Judea,  that  is  to 
say,  in  the  region  situated  on  the  banks 
of  Jordan  looking  towards  Jericho,  that 
John  commenced  his  preaching.  He  pro- 
claimed that  men  were  bound  to  expiate 
[10] 


ST.  JOHNS'  THE  BAPTIST. 

their  iniquities  by  tears  of  compunction, 
and  he  announced  to  them  that  the  Mes- 
siah would  soon  appear  in  the  midst  of 
them.  The  people  received  him  as  the 
ambassador  of  the  Most  High.  Many  of 
the  Pharisees  went  out  to  hear  him ; but 
he  severely  chastised  the  pride  and  hy. 
pocrisy  which  made  them  blind  to  their 
vices.  “ Race  of  vipers,”  he  exclaimed, 
“ who  has  taught  you  to  fly  from  the 
anger  with  which  you  are  threatened  ? 
Bi  •ing  forth  fruits  worthy  of  penance.  . . . 
The  axe  has  been  laid  to  the  roots  of  the 
trees ; every  tree,  therefore,  that  does  not 
bring  forth  good  fruit  shall  be  cut  down, 
and  cast  into  the  fire.”  The  people  then 
asked  him  what  they  ought  to  do,  and  he 
answered : “ He  who  hath  two  coats,  let 
him  give  to  him  who  hath  none;  and  he 
who  bath  meat,  let  him  do  in  like  manner. 
And  the  publicans  also  came  to  be  bap 

mi 


THE  LIFE  OF 

lized,  and  said  to  him : Master  what 
shall  we  do  ? But  he  said  to  them : Do 
nothing  more  than  that  which  is  appointed 
you.  And  the  soldiers  also  asked  him. 
saying : What  shall  we  do  ? And  he 
said  to  them : Do  violence  to  no  man, 
neither  calumniate  any  man ; and  be  con- 
tent with  your  pay.” 

The  people,  who  were  anxiously  await- 
ing the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  now  began 
to  think  that  John  might  be  he.  But 
John  said  to  them,  “ I indeed  baptize  you 
with  water;  but  there  shall  come  one 
mightier  than  I,  the  latch et  of  whose 
shoes  I am  not  worthy  to  loose.  He  shall 
baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
with  fire.  His  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he 
will  purge  his  floor,  and  will  gather  the 
wheat  into  his  barn,  but  the  chaff  he  will 
burn  with  unquenchable  fire.” 

John’s  baptism  had  neither  the  efficacy 
[12] 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAJ’TIST. 

nor  the  virtue  of  the  sacrament  of  regene- 
ration which  the  Saviour  instituted  after- 
wards. In  fact,  it  was  only  a figure  of  the 
Redeemer’s  baptism.  It  was  a ceremony 
by  which  those  who  were  under  the  law 
of  Moses  received  some  spiritual  privileges 
from  the  hand  of  the  Precursor  of  the 
Messiah — the  herald  of  the  new  alliance ; 
it  was,  as  it  were,  the  highroad  from  the 
old  law  to  the  new.  In  a word,  it  did  not 
make  the  Jews  Christians,  but  it  prepared 
them  to  become  such. 

John  had  been  about  six  months 
preaching  and  baptizing,  when  the  Sa- 
viour came  and  presented  himself  amongst 
those  who  were  receiving  baptism  at 
John’s  hands.  The  Baptist  knew  him  by 
a revelation,  and  was  so  filled  with  respect 
for  his  most  holy  person  that  he  refused 
to  baptize  him,  saying,  “I  ought  to  be 
baptized  by  thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me  T 
[131 


THE  LIFE  OF 


And  Jesus,  answering,  said  to  him : 
iL  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now,  for  so  it  becometh 
ns  to  fulfil  all  justice.”  At  the  same  time 
the  heavens  were  opened,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  descended  on  our  Lord  in  the  form 
of  a dove.  Then  a voice  from  heaven  was 
heard,  saying,  “ This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  I am  well  pleased.” 

One  is  induced  to  ask  why  the  Saviour, 
who  was  all-spotless,  came  to  ask  baptism 
from  the  hands  of  John.  In  reply  to  this, 
St.  Ambrose  tells  us  that  it  was  to  sancti- 
fy the  waters,  and  to  give  them  the  power 
of  cleansing  men  from  their  sins.  Other 
saints  think  that  our  Lord  instituted  the 
sacrament  of  baptism  at  that  moment.  A 
short  time  afterwards,  he  caused  his  dis- 
ciples to  administer  it,  he  himself  having 
first  baptized  them. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  precautions 
taken  by  the  Baptist  to  humble  himself, 
[14] 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 


such  was  the  impression  made  on  the 
Jews  by  his  manner  of  life  and  discourses 
that  they  sent  out  a solemn  embassy  of 
priests  and  Levites  to  ask  him  if  he 
was  the  Christ.  He  confessed  that  he 
was  not.  They  asked  him,  “ Arfc  thou 
Elias  ? ” He  answered,  “ I am  not.” 
“Art  thou,  then,  a prophet?”  To 
this  he  replied,  u No.”  At  last  they  said 
to  him,  “ Who,  then,  arfc  thou,  that  we 
may  give  an  answer  to  those  who  have 
sent  us;  what  sayest  thou  of  thyself?” 
“ I am,”  said  he,  “ the  voice  of  one  crying 
in  the  wilderness,  Make  straight  the  way 
of  the  Lord,  as  said  the  prophet  Isaias.” 

Thus  he  would  not  accept  any  title  that 
could  elevate  him  in  the  eyes  of  men ; he 
desired  to  be  forgotten,  and  he  thought 
himself  unworthy  to  be  named  or  thought 
of.  He  barely  advises  his  hearers  to  re- 
ceive the  warnings  which  God  sent  them 

[15] 


THE  LIEE  OF 

through  his  mouth.  As  for  himself,  he  is 
merely  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wil- 
derness, that  is  to  say,  an  empty  sound,  a 
pure  nothing.  Such  were  the  sentiments 
entertained  of  himself  by  this  holy  man. 
See  how  he  teaches  us  by  his  example  to 
practise  humility. 

As  soon  as  Jesus  had  been  baptized  by 
John,  he  declared  him  to  be  the  Messiah. 
He  made  the  same  observation  when  the 
Jews  came  from  Jerusalem  to  consult  him. 
On  another  occasion,  when  he  saw  the 
Redeemer  approaching,  he  called  him  the 
Lamb  of  God.  “Behold,”  said  he,  “the 
Lamb  of  God;  behold  him  who  taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the  world  ! ” His  faith 
was  also  manifested  when  the  disciples 
questioned  him  about  the  baptism  of 
Jesus ; and  in  every  circumstance  he  ren- 
dered testimony  to  the  divinity  of  our 
Lord.  But  our  Lord,  as  we  shall  see, 
[16] 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 

rendered  a still  more  glorious  testimony 
to  his  holy  precursor. 

After  continuing  to  baptize  for  some 
time  in  the  Jordan,  on  the  margin  of  the 
desert  of  Judea,  John  crossed  to  the  op- 
posite bank  of  the  river,  and  tarried  at 
Bethany,  or  Bethabara,  a word  that  signi- 
fies “House  of  Passage.”  From  thence 
he  went  to  Ennon,  a place  near  Salim, 
where  there  was  much  water,  and  which 
was  situated  in  Judea,  hard  by  the  Jor- 
dan. Like  an  angel  of  the  Lord,  he  was 
not  affected  by  benedictions  or  maledic- 
tions, according  to  the  Scripture.  He  had 
nothing  in  view  but  the  glory  of  God, 
and  he  preached  only  Jesus  Christ.  His 
charity  won  him  all  hearts,  and  his  zeal 
gave  him  an  authority  over  his  auditors 
which  they  could  not  resist. 

Above  all  human  considerations,  he 
Bpared  no  vice.  With  a generous  frank- 
fi7] 


THE  LIFE  OF 

ness,  lie  rebuked  tlie  hypocrisy  of  the 
Pharisees,  the  profanations  of  tke  Saddu- 
cees,  the  extortion  of  the  publicans,  the 
rapines  and  corruption  of  the  soldiers; 
nay,  more,  he  raised  his  voice  against  the 
incestuous  Herod  himself. 

This  prince,  who  was  tetrarch  of  Gali- 
lee, had  repudiated  his  wife,  daughter  of 
Aretas,  king  of  Arabia,  to  marry  Herodias, 
the  wife  of  his  brother  Philip.  John 
Baptist  rebuked  him  severely,  as  also  his 
accomplice,  for  the  scandal  which  they 
both  caused  by  this  criminal  union.  “ You 
are  nbt  allowed,”  said  he  to  the  prince, 
4 to  have  thy  brother’s  wife  ” 

Herod  favored  and  respected  him,  and 
on  many  occasions  had  done  komage  to 
his  sanctity  by  following  his  counsels. 
But  withal  he  could  not  endure  to  have 
his  cherished  passion  attacked,  and  he 
was  terribly  incensed  by  the  boldness 
[18] 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 

with  which  John  reproached  his  con- 
duct. 

At  the  very  time  when  hevenerated  John 
as  a saint,  he  hated  him  as  an  impertinent 
censor.  His  passion  grew  stronger  day  by 
day ; for  it  was  nourished  by  the  flatteries 
of  courtiers,  and  by  the  remonstrances  and 
artifices  of  Herodias,  who  resorted  to  every 
stratagem  that  she  might  destroy  him  who 
thwarted  her  ambition,  and  disquieted  her 
in  her  criminal  enjoyments. 

Herod,  yielding  to  her  importunities, 
caused  the  Baptist  to  be  thrown  into 
prison.  While  the  holy  precursor  was  in 
his  dungeon,  he  heard  people  speaking  of 
the  preaching  and  miracles  of  Jesus  Christ. 
He  then  sent  two  of  his  disciples  to  be 
instructed  by  him.  He  never  doubted 
that  Christ  would  prove  to  them  that  he 
was  the  Messiah,  and  that  he  would  cure 
them  of  their  prejudices,  and  convert  them 
[19] 


THE  LIFE  OF 

to  himself.  John's  two  disciples,  having 
met  the  Lord,  said  to  him,  “ Art  thou, 
then,  he  who  was  to  come,  or  are  we  to 
wait  for  another?”  Jesus  replied  : u Go 
back,  and  tell  John  all  that  you  have 
heard  and  seen;  the  blind  see,  the  halt 
walk,  the  leprous  are  cleansed,  the  deaf 
hear,  the  dead  are  recalled  to  life,  and  the 
gospel  is  preached  to  the  poor;  and 
blessed  is  he  who  is  not  scandalized  in 
me.”  As  they  were  about  to  go,  Jesus 
began  to  speak  to  the  people  of  John  in 
this  manner:  “ What  went  ye  out  into 
the  desert  to  see  ? a reed  shaken  by  the 
wind  ? But  what  went  ye  out  to  see  ? a 
man  clothed  in  soft  garments  ? Behold, 
they  that  are  clothed  in  soft  garments  are 
in  the  houses  of  kings.  But  what  went 
ye  out  to  see?  a prophet?  Yea,  I tell 
you,  and  more  than  a prophet ; for  this  is 
he  of  whom  it  is  written,  Behold,  I send 

m 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 

my  angel  before  thy  face,  who  shall  pre- 
pare thy  way  before  thee.  Amen,  I say 
to  yon,  there  hath  not  risen  among  them 
that  are  born  of  women  a greater  than 
John  the  Baptist.”  It  was  thus  that  the 
Redeemer  bore  testimony  to  the  virtues 
of  him  who,  before  then,  had  borne  testi- 
mony to  his  divinity. 

Herod,  meanwhile,  entertained  pro- 
found respect  for  the  precursor  of  our 
Lord,  so  much  so  that  he  often  conversed 
with  him,  and  took  pleasure  in  hearing  him, 
except  when  he  denounced  his  sinful  life. 
On  the  other  hand,  Herodias  sought  to 
embitter  the  king  against  John,  and  longed 
for  the  moment  in  which  she  might  be 
able  to  destroy  him.  At  length  the  op- 
portunity which  she  watched  with  so 
much  impatience  presented  itself. 

John  had  been  about  a year  in  prison, 
when  Herod,  in  order  to  celebrate  his 
[21] 


THE  LIFE  OF 


first  birthday,  gave  a magnificent  enter- 
tainment to  the  chief  people  of  Galilee. 
Corruption  and  luxury  were  unbounded 
in  the  court  of  this  king ; and  during  the 
banquet  he  caused  Salome,  the  daughter 
of  Herodias  by  Philip,  to  dance  before 
him.  So  much  did  the  princess  please 
him  by  this  performance,  that  he  promised 
with  an  oath  to  give  her  whatsoever  she 
might  ask,  even  though  it  were  half  of  his 
kingdom.  Salome,  flattered  by  the  pro- 
mise, went  to  consult  her  mother  as  to 
what  she  ought  to  demand.  Herodias, 
blinded  by  her  criminal  passion  and  de- 
voured by  ambition,  thought  of  nothing 
but  the  destruction  of  him  who  had  re- 
buked her  for  following  the  corrupt  de- 
sires of  her  heart,  and  she,  therefore,  told 
her  daughter  to  demand  the  death  of 
John  the  Baptist. 

Her  hatred,  impatient  of  the  least  de* 
[22] 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 

lay,  made  her  fear  that  Herod  would 
relent,  and  she  insisted  that  the  daughter 
should  have  the  head  brought  to  her  im- 
mediately. We  read  in  the  Gospel  that 
Herod  regarded  John  Baptist  as  a just 
man,  and  that  he  dreaded  to  lay  hands  on 
the  Saint,  lest  he  might  bring  on  himself 
the  fury  of  the  people,  who  entertained 
great  veneration  for  God’s  chosen  servant. 
It  was  a usage  universally  received  at 
that  period  of  the  world,  never  to  con- 
demn or  execute  any  criminal  on  the  birth- 
day of  the  prince.  The  same  usage  was 
strictly  observed  on  all  days  of  public 
festivities,  which  were  signalized  for  acts 
of  mercy.  Despite  these  considerations 
and  notwithstanding  his  remorse  of  con- 
science, which  should  have  overruled 
him,  Herod  had  the  baseness  to  consent 
to  the  horrible  demand  made  on  him. 
lie  sought  to  palliate  his  crime  by  pre- 
ps] 


THE  LIFE  OF 

texts  which  only  augmented  its  enormity 
He  alleged  the  obligation  of  his  oath,  as 
if  an  oath  could  bind  a man  to  anything 
forbidden  by  the  law  of  God.  It  is  a 
crime  to  swear  in  such  a case,  and  it  is  an 
additional  crime  to  execute  what  one  pro- 
mises under  such  circumstances.  Herod 
knew  all  that;  but  he  would  rather  be 
the  slave  of  his  shameless  passion  than 
obey  God.  He,  therefore,  commanded  a 
soldier  to  go  and  cut  off  the  head  of  the 
Baptist,  and  bring  it  to  Salome.  The 
latter  seized  it  in  her  hands  to  present  it 
to  her  mother.  St.  Jerome  tells  us  that 
Herodias  was  savage  enough  to  pierce  the 
Baptist’s  tongue  with  a bodkin. 

Thus  died  the  precursor  of  the  Messiah, 
a year  before  him  whom  he  had  announc- 
ed as  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  and  a lit- 
tle more  than  two  years  after  the  com- 
mencement of  his  preaching. 

[24] 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 


The  historian  Josephus,  although  a 
Jew,  has  rendered  the  most  honorable 
testimony  to  St.  John.  “ This,”  says  he, 
u was  a man  gifted  with  every  virtue  ; he 
exhorted  the  Jews  to  act  justly  to  all 
men,  and  to  cherish  piety  for  God.  He 
also  invited  them  to  receive  his  baptism, 
assuring  them  that  they  would  render 
themselves  pleasing  to  God  if  they  re- 
nounced their  sins  and  joined  purity  of 
soul  to  purity  of  body.”  This  histo- 
rian adds  that  “ the  people  of  his  nation 
attributed  the  misfortunes  which  Herod 
experienced  to  the  death  of  the  Baptist.” 
In  fact,  the  army  of  this  bloodthirsty 
prince  was,  a short  time  after  St.  John’s 
murder,  cut  to  pieces  by  Aretas,  king  of 
Arabia,  who  burned  to  avenge  the  injury 
done  to  his  daughter.  Herod  himself 
soon  fell  into  disgrace  with  the  Romans, 
and  the  Emperor  Caligula  dethroned  him. 

[25] 


THE  LIFE  OE 

Deprived  of  his  kingdom,  he  was  sent  in 
exile  to  Lyons,  in  France,  where  he  and 
Herodias  died  miserably* 

The  disciples  of  St.  John  the  Baptist 
carried  off  his  body  and  interred  it  hon- 
orably, not  far  from  the  place  where  he 
was  decapitated.  It  was  afterwards  trans- 
lated to  Sebaste,  or  Samaria,  and  was 
there  entombed  in  the  grave  that  held  the 
bones  of  the  prophet  Eliseus.  Some  im- 
pious people  sought  to  destroy  those  holy 
relics  by  burning  them  ; but  God  allowed 
some  pious  monks  to  preserve  a portion 
of  them ; fragments  of  them  were  brought 
to  the  West,  and  to  the  present  day  the 
city  of  Amiens  piously  protects  a portion 
of  the  head  of  the  precursor  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

PRAYER. 

Great  Saint,  illustrious  precursor  of  the 
Saviour  of  mankind,  thou  who  wert  a 
im 


ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 


martyr,  virgin,  doctor,  prophet,  and  more 
than  a prophet — O thou,  whom  Jesus 
proclaimed  to  be  the  greatest  born  of 
women,  obtain  for  us,  of  God,  some  of  the 
virtues  which  shone  forth  so  brilliantly 
in  thee.  Obtain  for  us,  by  thy  prayers,  a 
love  of  penance,  purity,  faith,  humility, 
and  a burning  zeal  to  gain  souls  to  Jesus 
Christ,  our  Lord.  Amen. 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  AGNES. 


SAINT  AUGUSTINE  remarks  ilia! 
die  name  of  Agnes  signifies  in  Greek, 

“ the  chaste  :”  our  Saint  fully  justified  the 
signification  of  her  name. 

“All  the  people,”  says  St.  Jerome, 

“ united  in  celebrating  the  praises  of  St. 
Agnes,  who  triumphed  over  the  corrup- 
tions of  her  times,  and  crowned  the  glory 
of  chastity  by  that  of  martyrdom.” 

Rome  was  the  theatre  of  the  combats 
and  of  the  triumphs  of  this  generous 
Christian.  According  to  St.  Augustine 
and  St.  Ambrose,  she  was  about  thirteen 
or  fourteen  years  of  age  when  she  suffer- 
ed. It  was  about  the  beginning  of  the 
45) 

2- 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST  AGNES. 

fourth  century,  a short  time  after  the 
commencement  of  Diocletian’s  persecu- 
tion, that  she  won  the  martyr’s  palm. 

The  wealth  and  beauty  of  Agnes  in- 
duced many  of  the  Roman  nobility  to 
seek  her  hand  in  marriage ; but  she  con- 
stantly replied  that  she  had  consecrated 
herself  to  a celestial  spouse  invisible  to 
men.  Failing  in  their  suit,  they  denounc- 
ed her  to  the  governor  as  a Christian. 
The  latter  tried  every  means  to  pervert 
her  to  paganism,  but  all  in  vain,  for 
within  her  delicate  frame  she  had  an  in- 
trepid soul  that  longed  for  martyrdom. 
To  terrify  her  they  lit  a great  fire  in  her 
presence,  and  collected  full  in  her  view 
all  the  horrid  instruments  of  torture. 
They  then  dragged  the  intrepid  virgin 
before  the  idols,  “but,”  says  St.  Ambrose, 
“far  from  burning  incense  she  raised  her 

hand  only  to  make  the  sign  of  the  cross.” 

(46) 


\ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  AGNES. 

The  infuriated  governor  then  sent  her 
to  an  obscene  place,  where  her  purity  was 
exposed  to  every  sort  of  insult.  “All/* 
said  Agnes,  “Jesus  Christ  is  too  jealous 
of  the  chastity  of  his  spouses  to  suffer 
them  to  be  deprived  of  it ; He  Himself 
is  the  guardian  of  it.  You  may  shed  my 
blood,  but  this  body  consecrated  to  Jesus, 
you  cannot  profane  it.”  This  prediction 
was  realized.  Heaven  visibly  protected 
this  blessed  maiden.  Thus  did  it  often 
please  God  to  manifest  his  esteem  for  the 
virtue  of  purity,  up  to  that  period  unknown 
to  the  world.  “Exposing  the  Christian 
virgins  thus,”  writes  Tertullian  to  the 
pagans,  “you  clearly  see  that  every  sort 
of  death  is  more  tolerable  to  a Christian 
than  the  loss  of  her  purity  ; but  what  has 
been  the  result  ? you  only  multiply  the 
converts  to  the  faith.” 

Agnes  was  afterwards  condemned  to 
(47) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  AGNES- 


die  by  the  headsman’s  axe.  Having  pro- 
claimed that  she  would  never  abjure  the 
faith  of  her  Lord,  she  bowed  her  head 
and  consummated  her  glorious  sacrifice. 
Those  who  witnessed  the  bloody  spec- 
tacle were  astounded  and  filled  with  ad- 
miration for  a religion  whose  dearest 
hopes  lie  far  beyond  the  grave.  Her 
body  was  interred  near  the  walls  of  Home, 
and  Constantine  the  Great  erected  a 
church  over  her  tomb.  Her  name  is  found 
in  the  Canon  of  the  Mass.  St.  Ambrose 
and  St.  Augustine  have  composed  pane- 
gyrics of  our  Saint.  St.  Martin  of  Tours 
cherished  a particular  devotion  for  her. 
Thomas  a Kempis  honored  her  as  his 
principal  patroness,  and  in  some  of  liis 
works  speaks  of  the  many  miracles 
wrought  through  her  intercession. 


rHE  LIFE  OF  SAINT  FRANCES. 


FRANCES  was  born  in  Rome,  a.d. 


^ 1384.  Her  parents  were  Paul  and 
Tacqueline  Rofredeschi,  both  of  distin- 
guished families.  From  her  tenderest 
years,  Frances  gave  indications  of  those 
virtues  which  invariably  mark  out  a soul 
predestined  for  heaven.  Never  heeding 
the  frivolous  amusements  of  childhood, 
her  chiefest  delight  was  to  pray  and  to 
meditate.  At  eleven  years  of  age,  she 
announced  her  intention  of  becoming  a 
nun;  but,  her  parents  opposing  her  de- 
sign, she  subsequently  married  (in  1396) 
a young  Roman  gentleman,  her  equal  in 
the  social  position. 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCES. 

Iii  this  state  of  life,  Frances  labored 
sedulously  to  preserve  the  spirit  of  grace 
that  hitherto  had  animated  her.  Avoid- 
ing all  dangerous  societies  and  profane 
spectacles,  she  never  enjoyed  real  happi- 
ness save  when  praying  and  meditating. 
Nevertheless,  her  piety  was  so  enlightened 
that  she  never  lost  sight  of  her  domestic 
obligations.  Her  attachment  to  her  hus- 
band was  marked  by  such  angelic  sweet- 
ness that  she  entirely  triumphed  over  his 
heart.  True  Christian  charity  consoli- 
dated the  links  of  their  union,  and,  during 
the  forty  years  they  lived  together,  no 
cloud  ever  darkened  the  calm  serenity  of 
their  lives. 

On  the  education  of  her  children  she 
bestowed  the  most  religious  attention,  and 
she  was  wont  to  say  that  the  mother  of 
a family  might  so  regulate  herself  as  nevei 
to  allow  her  practical  devotions  to  inter* 
[2] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCES. 

fere  with  the  proper  management  of  her 
household.  The  only  grace  she  ever 
begged  of  God  for  her  offspring  was  that 
every  act  of  their  whole  lives  should  be 
an  aspiration  for  the  glories  of  heaven. 
The  tutelar  angel  of  the  domestic  hearth, 
her  piety  communicated  itself  to  every 
one  about  her.  She  treated  her  servants 
as  brothers  and  sisters,  nay,  as  coheirs  to 
the  future  heavenly  kingdom ; and,  ani- 
mated with  this  sentiment,  she  zealously 
labored  to  advance  their  eternal  interests. 

In  deference  to  her  husband,  she  occa- 
sionally relaxed  her  penitential  austeri- 
ties ; but,  whensoever  she  had  liberty,  she 
gave  herself  up  to  the  most  rigorous  mor- 
tifications. She  interdicted  herself  the  use 
of  meat  and  wine,  and  renounced  every- 
thing that  pampered  the  senses.  Her 
nourishment  consisted  of  a little  bread  and 
water,  and  she  would  frequently  exchange 
13] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCES. 

her  good  bread  for  the  crusts  which  men- 
dicants begged  at  the  doors. of  the  chari 
table.  Her  dress  was  of  the  coarsest  ma- 
terial, and  she  always  wore  sack-cloth. 

Such  was  the  influence  of  her  example 
on  the  Roman  ladies  that  many  of  them 
adopted  her  manner  of  life,  and  addicted 
themselves  to  privations  and  penitential 
austerities. 

God,  wishing  to  try  her,  suffered  her 
husband  to  be  banished  from  Rome  in 
1413.  Nay,  she  saw  herself  robbed  of  all 
her  property  during  the  troubles  of  that 
period,  when  her  eldest  son  was  taken 
from  her  as  a hostage.  Withal,  she  never 
lost  her  serenity  of  soul,  and,  amidst  all 
these  calamities,  she  constantly  Repeated 
the  versicle  of  Job : “ The  Lord  gave,  and 
the  Lord  hath  taken  away ; may  the  name 
of  the  Lord  be  blessed ! ” But  the  Dis- 
poser of  all  caused  these  afflictions  to  pass 
[4] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCES. 

away,  and  her  husband,  son,  and  property 
were  soon  restored. 

Her  truly  religious  husband,  appreciat- 
ing the  sanctity  of  his  companion,  per- 
mitted her  to  found  a monastery  (in  1425) 
for  maidens  and  married  women  who 
might  wish  to  renounce  the  world.  She 
placed  this  monastery  under  the  rule  of 
St.  Benedict.  In  1433,  she  found  that 
this  monastery  was  too  small  for  the  mem. 
bers  flocking  to  it,  and  she  therefore 
enlarged  it  considerably.  The  Order  was 
sanctioned  as  that  of  Oblates,  in  1437,  by 
Eugene  IV. 

On  the  decease  of  her  pious  husband, 
Frances,  after  arranging  all  her  temporal 
concerns,  went  immediately  to  join  her 
dear  children.  She  prostrated  herself 
humbly  at  the  gate  of  her  own  monastery, 
and  prayed  admission  like  a mere  beggar 
She  took  the  habit  of  the  Oblates  on  the 
! 5\ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCES. 


feast  of  St.  Benedict,  a.d.  1437 ; and,  fai 
from  esteeming  herself  as  the  foundresi 
of  the  new  institution,  she  devoted  herse_ 
to  its  duties,  even  as  the  humblest  of  her 
community.  Her  habitual  meditation 
was  the  passion  of  our  Lord,  and  her  soul 
was  never  absent  from  the  hill  of  Calvary. 
Whenever  she  assisted  at  the  holy  sacri- 
fice, she  seemed  as  though  she  had  been 
translated  to  heaven.  Her  devotion  to  St. 
John  the  Evangelist  was  very  great ; but 
her  devotion  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the 
patroness  of  her  Order,  edified  and  enlight 
ened  every  one  around  her. 

Being  obliged  to  leave  her  monastery 
for  a while  to  minister  at  the  death-bed 
of  one  of  her  children,  she  herself  was 
smitten  with  the  contagion.  She  foretold 
the  time  of  her  decease,  and,  after  receiv- 
ing the  sacraments  of  the  Church,  expired 
on  the  9th  of  March,  1440.  God  attested 

r«i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCES. 

her  sanctity  by  many  miracles,  and  she 
was  canonized  in  1608.  Her  body  is 
preserved  at  Rome  in  a magnificent 
lirine,  and  her  feast  is  observed  with 
peculiar  solemnity. 

PRAYER. 

O thou  who  wast  on  earth  a model 
to  Christian  spouses  and  mothers,  watch 
over  our  hearts  from  the  heaven  where 
thou  dwellest.  Obtain  for  us  that  gener- 
ous faith  which  constitutes  the  happiness 
of  Christian  families,  and  bring  down  on 
them  the  choicest  blessings  of  God.  St. 
Frances  ! we  humbly  implore  thee  to  pray 
for  us. 


ro 


THE  LIFE  OF  SAINT  BEBNAKD. 


ORN  in  1091,  in  the  village  of  Fon- 
taines, in  Burgundy,  near  Dijon, 


sprung  from  a family  allied  to  the  great- 
est princes  of  the  time,  from  a father  and 
mother  who  to  nobility  of  family  united 
that  nobility  which  piety  confers,  Ber- 
nard, even  in  his  earliest  years,  applied 
himself  to  the  lessons  by  which  saints 
are  educated. 

His  modesty,  his  sweetness,  his  love 
of  the  poor,  were  admirable;  and  his 
pious  mother  never  ceased  to  thank  God 
for  the  gift  he  had  given  her  in  such  a 
son. 

One  Christmas  night,  whilst  waiting  in 
a church  for  the  commencement  of  the 


[i] 


-■ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

Office,  lie  grew  drowsy  and  slept.  Happy 
sleep ! The  infant  Jesus  appeared  to 
him,  and  so  captivated  was  he  by  tlie 
vision  of  that  celestial  beauty  that 
throughout  his  entire  life  he  never  ceased 
to  honor,  above  all  the  other  mysteries, 
that  of  the  Incarnation  of  the  Word.  In 
public,  he  was  always  wont  to  speak  of 
it  with  incredible  unction. 

The  town  of  Chatillon-sur-Seine,  fif- 
teen leagues  from  the  place  of  his  birth, 
was  the  scene  of  his  earliest  studies ; and 
his  masters,  filled  with  admiration  of  his 
penetration  and  quickness,  could  not  but 
laud  the  progress  made  by  one  of  his  ten- 
der years.  When  nineteen  years  of  age, 
he  lost  his  mother,  and  it  is  to  this  circum- 
stance, probably,  that  we  may  attribute 
his  early  retirement,  and  entire  consecra- 
tion to  the  Virgin  Mary  that  dear,  dear 
Mother  who  never  dies. 

[2] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNAED. 


In  a few  years,  Bernard  took  a proper 
view  of  tlie  world,  sounded  the  hollow- 
ness of  its  promises,  and  thoroughly 
understood  the  innumerable  dangers  that 
innocence  must  encounter  here  below ; 
and,  in  order  to  gain  heaven  in  preference 
to  all  the  pretended  blessings  of  this  region 
of  deceit,  he  had  already  determined  to 
bury  himself  in  a cloister. 

God,  wishing  to  inspire  him  with  a 
still  more  fervent  desire  of  solitude  and 
monastic  austerities,  permitted  that  he 
should  be  assailed  by  most  cruel  tempta- 
tions ; but  Bernard  did  now  allow  them 
to  overcome  him.  One  day  he  plunged 
himself  up  to  the  neck  in  a frozen  pond, 
to  extinguish  the  fire  of  concupiscence. 

Meanwhile,  he  had  displayed  the  most 
brilliant  genius  in  the  University  of 
Paris,  whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  his  no- 
bility, fortune,  talent,  character,  and  man 
[3] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 


ners  won  liim  all  hearts;  but  all  these 
advantages  appeared  to  him  like  so  many 
dangerous  illusions.  His  resolution  is 
taken ; he  sets  about  undergoing  all  the 
severities  of  the  cloister;  and  even  at  this 
early  period,  his  influence  over  those 
around  him  is  such  that  he  persuades  his 
four  brothers,  Guy,  Gerard,  Bartholomew, 
and  Andrew,  nay,  and  thirty  of  his  young 
noble  companions,  to  condemn  themselves 
to  the  cloister  along  with  him.  On  the 
day  appointed  for  the  execution  of  this  de- 
sign, Bernard  and  his  brothers  bid  fare- 
well  to  their  father,  ask  his  benediction, 
and  then  set  out,  leaving  only  their 
younger  brother,  Nivard,  to  be  the  con- 
solation of' his  old  age. 

“Farewell,  dear  Nivard,”  said  one  of 
them.  “ Thou  shalt  be  the  sole-possessor 
of  our  wealth  and  lands.”  “ How  !”  re- 
plied the  child,  “ you  take  heaven  for  your- 
[4] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BEKNABD. 

selves,  and  you  leave  me  the  earth ! This 
is  not  fair.”  In  fact,  a short  while  after- 
wards, he,  too,  abandoned  the  world,  and 
followed  them.  Stephen,  Abbot  of  Ci- 
taux,  joyously  received  the  young  colony, 
and  after  a year  of  novitiate,  Bernard, 
being  then  twenty-four  years  of  age,  was 
sent  to  Clairvaux,  to  be  abbot  of  that 
great  monastery.  The  religious  were 
amazed  at  this  selection,  Bernard  was  so 
young  and  his  health  so  delicate  ! They 
feared’ that  he  would  not  be  able  for  such 
an  onerous  charge ; but  even  then  Ber- 
nard possessed  such  consummate  wisdom, 
joined  to  so  great  humility,  that  Father 
Stephen  judged  him  in.  every  way  fitted 
for  the  highest  offices. 

Clairvaux,  afterwards  called  the  Val- 
ley of  Wormwood  (Clara  Vallis,  whence 
Clairvaux),  was  a savage  desert,  but  Ber- 
nard made  it  teem  with  fertility.  He 
[5] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

wished  that  his  monks,  while  serving 
God,  should  also  be  useful  to  men,  and 
he  prescribed  that  each  of  them  in  his 
turn,  and  according  to  his  capacity,  should 
attend  to  manual  labor  and  study. 

Clairvaux,  so  celebrated  subsequently, 
was  distant  eleven  leagues  from  Langres, 
in  Champagnes.  The  lowliest  poverty, 
penitential  austerities,  and  virtues  more 
angelical  than  human,  a life  of  labor  and 
prayer,  made  this  valley  a holy  place,  a 
blessed  spot  on  which  Heaven  poured 
down  abundantly  its  celestial  dews,  a 
spot  which  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  regard 
with  complacent  love.  Here  might  be 
seen  upwards  of  seven  hundred  monks 
ready  to  obey  Bernard’s  will — not  as  a 
man,  but  as  an  angel  sent  to  them  from 
heaven.  Oh ! how  greatly  amiable  was 
our  holy  abbot!  “If  amiability  itself 
could  compose  homilies,”  says  a distin- 
[61 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

guished  prelate,  “ay,  or  write  books,  it 
would  express  itself  in  tlie  style  of  Ber- 
nard.” Oh  ! what  unction  in  the  exhor- 
tations of  -this  man,  who,  surrounded  by 
all  his  religious,  compared  himself  to  a 
mother,  and  called  them  his  eyes,  his 
bowels,  his  heart ! 

A famine  occurred  in  1125,  and  Bernard 
exhausted,  over  and  over,  the  resources 
of  his  monastery  to  assist  the  poor.  He 
was  at  this  time  assailed  by  a malady 
that  brought  him  to  the  very  gates  of 
death.  Then,  thinking  himself  called  to 
the  bar  of  God’s  judgment,  he  heard  the 
demon  accusing  him,  and  he  thus  replied 
to  each  of  the  charges  laid  against  him  : 
“ I acknowledge  myself  unworthy  of  the 
glory  of  heaven,  and  I know  that  I can- 
not obtain  it  by  my  own  merits.  But 
my  Saviour  possesses  it  by  a double  title; 
by  his  right  of  inheritance  as  the  only 
[7] 


- 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 


Son  of  the  eternal  God,  and  by  the 
merits  of  his  Passion  by  which  he  has 
redeemed  the  world.  He  has  caused  the 
second  of  these  titles  to  devolve  on  me, 
and  it  is  by  virtue  of  this  high  preroga- 
tive that  I firmly  hope  to  partake  of  ever- 
lasting blessedness.” 

Nothing  could  have  been  more  admir- 
able than  the  spirit  of  humility,  fear  of 
God,  and  compunction  for  which  St  Ber- 
nard was  so  remarkable.  “ I embrace,”  said 
he,  “ the  feet  of  God — his  justice  and  his 
mercy.”  God’s  justice  caused  him  to  avoid 
tepidity  and  presumption.  His  mercy  kept 
him  from  falling  into  disquietude  and  de- 
spair. Regarding  the  judgment  of  God,  he 
was  wont  to  say : “ I tremble  with  horroi 
when  I recall  these  words,  ‘ No  man  know- 
eth  whether  he  is  worthy  of  love  or  ha 
tred.’  ” Hating  all  praise  and  flattery,  he 
saw  nothing  but  great  imperfections  in  all 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

his  acts.  “The  laudations  bestowed  on 
us,”  said  he,  “ are  flatteries,  and  it  is  a fool- 
ish vanity  to  be  taken  by  them.”  Else- 
where he  exclaims : “ My  monstrous  life, 
and  the  wretched  state  of  my  conscience, 
cry  to  thee,  my  God,  to  excite  thy  com- 
passion. I am  an  indescribable  sort  of 
creature,  whose  life  resembles  not  that  of 
an  ecclesiastic,  nor  that  of  a solitary.” 
These  sentiments  of  humility  and  self- 
abasement  he  studiously  instilled  into  the 
minds  of  his  religious ; and  on  one  occasion 
he  told  them  that  he  did  not  hesitate  to 
prefer  to  them  all  an  humble  lay  brother, 
then  absent.  “This  poor  man,”  said  he, 
“ has  not  studied  letters,  but  excels  every 
one  in  this  community  by  his  knowledge 
of  the  Saints  and  of  himself.”  The  fact 
we  are  going  to  relate  will  illustrate  what 
we  have  said. 

A lay  brother  of  St.  Barnard’s  monas* 
[91 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

tery  was  appointed  to  watch  the  cattle  in 
the  fields  on  the  night  of  the  Feast  of  the 
Assumption — a feast  for  which  our  Saint 
had  the  most  fervent  devotion.  When 
the  bell  tolled  at  midnight,  summoning 
the  community  to  the  choir,  the  lay  bro- 
ther, thinking  himself  unworthy  of  being 
permitted  to  join  his  brethren  in  chanting 
the  praises  of  the  Lord,  remained  outside 
the  church,  and  there  continued  to  repeat 
the  Angelical  Salutation  till  the  following 
morning,  sometimes  kneeling,  and  some- 
times prostrating  himself  on  the  earth, 
and  this  with  a fervor  ever  increasing  in 
its  intensity.  God  wished  that  Bernard 
should  know  the  humble  devotion  of  this 
man,  his  simplicity  and  obedience,  and 
the  holy  abbot  preferred  the  conduct  of 
this  good  religious  to  that  of  the  most 
perfect  penitents  and  most  rapt  ccntem- 
platives  of  his  community. 

[10] 


r 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 


How  shall  we  describe  his  other  virtues  ? 
His  love  of  solitude  caused  him  to  say  to 
those  who  entered  his  Order : “ Believe 
me,  for  I speak  from  experience,  that  you 
will  find  in  the  woods  that  for  which  you 
will  vainly  seek  in  books  ; the  forests  and 
the  rocks  will  teach  you  that  which  you 
could  not  learn  from  the  ablest  masters. 
For  my  own  part,  I have  had  no  surer 
guides  to  the  understanding  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  than  the  beeches  and  oaks  of 
the  woods.” 

What  could  have  excelled  his  profound 
interior  recollection,  and  his  continual 
thought  of  the  presence  of  God  ! On  one 
of  those  journeys  w7hich  the  interests  of 
religion  caused  him  to  undertake,  he  spent 
an  entire  day  travelling  by  the  borders  of 
the  Lake  of  Lausanne,  and,  hearing  one 
of  his  companions  making  some  observa- 
tion regarding  the  lake,  he  evinced  his 
[ii] 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BEENAKD. 

surprise,  stating  that  he  had  not  seen  it, 
and  that  he  had  not  perceived  anything  in 
the  whole  journey.  On  another  occasion, 
being  obliged  to  visit  the  Prior  of  the 
great  Chartreuse,  whom  he  knew  inti- 
mately, he  was  obliged  to  make  the  jour- 
ney on  horseback.  When  he  reached  the 
monastery,  the  Prior  signified  his  aston- 
ishment at  the  beautiful  bridle  of  his 
horse;  the  Saint  simply  replied  that  he 
had  paid  no  attention  to  the  saddle  or 
bridle.  In  fact,  he  was  so  accustomed 
to  the  consideration  of  heavenly  truths 
that  he  sometimes  seemed  to  have 
been  deprived  of  the  use  of  his 
senses,  and  to  be  quite  unconscious  of 
external  objects.  Let  us  hear  one  of  his 
biographers  speaking  of  him — “If  thou 
wouldst  wish  to  arrive  at  a knowledge  of 
spiritual  things,’’  said  he  to  his  novices, 

M leave  aside  the  body  that  you  had  in 
[12] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST»  BERNARD 

the  world:  spirituality  can  be  known 
only  by  spirit.  The  flesh  profiteth  no 
man.”  And  he  was  the  first  to  set  the 
example  ; he  thought  of  his  body  only  as 
a thing  to  be  made  subject  to  the  spirit, 
and  rendered  fit  for  the  service  of  God  ; 
despite  his  delicacy,  he  would  take  a 
share  in  all  the  labors,  and,  if  he  lacked 
capacity  for  any  one  of  them  in  particular, 
he  compensated  the  disadvantage  by  tak- 
ing care  of  those  who  were  suited  to  such 
employment,  always  selecting  the  hum- 
blest for  field  work  and  felling  timber. 
His  unwearied  vigilance  exceeded  human 
strength,  and  he  was  always  afraid  to  lose 
that  time  which  God  has  given  for  his 
service;  nay,  he  was  wont  to  compare 
sleep  to  death.  He  incessantly  mortified 
his  flesh,  that  he  might  be  able  to  subdue 
its  rebellion  ; and,  all-absorbed  in  the  con- 
templation of  the  things  that  are  of  God, 
[13] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

he  seemed  to  have  forgotten  the  use  of 
his  senses.  The  very  thought  of  food 
satisfied  him ; he  went  to  table  as  to  a 
place  of  punishment;  there  he  took  a 
little  milk  and  lettuces,  for  his  weak 
stomach  could  not  digest  more  solid 
nutriment,  and  on  one  occasion  he  drank 
oil  mixed  with  blood,  thinking  it  wine, 
without  being  conscious  of  his  error.  He 
prayed  night  and  day,  till  his  knees, 
weakened  by  fasting,  and  his  feet  swollen 
by  labor,  were  incapable  of  supporting 
his  body.  Those  who  witnessed  his 
austerities  observed  that  he  treated  him- 
self as  one  would  treat  a lamb  that  was 
yoked  to  a cart,  and  compelled  to  draw 
it.  And  in  order  that  his  merits  might 
be  rendered  purer  and  more  brilliant,  he 
was  daily  tried  in  the  furnace  ; daily  was 
he  tested  in  the  crucible,  and  striped 
with  scourges,  not  in  punishment  of  his 
[14] 


-r 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BEEHAED. 


faults,  but  for  the  glorification  of  his 
virtue. 

Nothing  could  have  been  more  affec- 
tionate than  the  love  which  our  Saint 
cherished  for  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary. 
He  composed  the  “ Ave  Maris  Stella  ” — a 
hymn  that  is  in  the  hearts  and  on  the 
lips  of  all  *the  faithful  throughout  the 
universe.  He  gave  to  Mary  the  magnifi- 
cent title  “ Supplicans,”  and  truly  she  is 
a supplicant  whose  intercession  is  all- 
powerful — “ omnipotentia  supplex Some- 
times he  would  seem  to  want  words  in 
which  to  chant  her  praises.  “ How 
shall  I hail  thee  ? By  what  sort  of  praises 
shall  I exalt  thy  holy  name  ?”  During 
one  of  his  missions  in  Germany,  being  at 
Spires,  it  happened  that  he  thrice  repeat- 
ed, “O  clement,  O pious,  O faithful 
Virgin  !”  and  this  he  did  almost  in  a 
state  of  ecstasy.  Gerson,  in  one  of  his 

[15] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 


sermons  on  St.  Bernard,  describing  the 
four  principal  circumstances  that  made 
him,  as  it  were,  an  ardent  furnace  of  love, 
says  that  the  first  of  them  was  his  love 
of  Mary,  Mother  of  God.  And  Peter, 
Abbot  of  St.  Bemi,  at  Rheims,  said  to  an 
adversary  of  St.  Bernard,  “ If  thou  darest 
to  touch  the  pupil  of  Our  Lady’s  eye,  thou 
writest  against  St.  Bernard.”  Let  us  now 
take  a passage  from  his  writings  that 
will  give  ’us  some  idea  of  his  devotion 
to  the  Mother  of  God*  “The  Vir- 
gin’s name  was  Mary.  This  name  sig- 
nifies star  of  the  sea,  and  is  in  every 
way  suited  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  who 
bore  God  in  her  womb.  Justly  is  she 
compared  to  a star ; for  as  the  star  sends 
down  its  rays  without  being  changed,  so 
did  the  Virgin  bring  forth  her  Son  without 
lessening  her  virginity.  The  ray  does 
not  diminish  the  brilliancy  of  the  star 
[16] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

nor  does  the  Son  detract  from  the  integ 
rity  of  the  Virgin.  She,  therefore,  is  that 
noble  star  of  Jacob  whose  ray  illumines 
the  universe;  whose  splendor  beams  on 
high,  and  penetrates  the  abysses.  This 
star  permeates  the  earth,  warmeth  souls 
more  than  it  does  bodies,  vivifying 
virtues,  and  consuming  vices.  Mary  is 
the  brilliant  star  beaming  over  the  vast 
ocean,  sparkling  with  virtues,  and  radiant 
with  examples.  Oh ! whosoever  thou 
art,  who  knowest  that  in  the  course  of 
this  life  thou  dost  float  rather  than  walk 
on  earth  amidst  a thousand  storms  and 
tempests,  turn  not  away  thy  eyes  from 
this  beacon,  if  thou  wouldst  not  be  swal- 
lowed up  by  the  furious  waves.  If  the 
wind  of  temptation  blows,  if  you  drift 
towards  the  shoals  of  tribulation,  lift  np 
thine  eyes  to  this  star — invoke  Mary 
If  anger,  or  avarice,  or  the  other  vices 
ri7j 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERXAED. 

threaten  to  sink  thy  frail  barque,  raise 
thine  eyes  to  Mary.  If  remorse  of  con- 
science and  the  fear  of  judgment  drag 
you  towards  the  gulf  of  sadness,  towards 
the  abyss  of  despair — think  of  Mary.  In 
perils,  anguish,  and  in  doubt,  think  of 
Mary — invoke  Mary.  Let  her  be  always 
on  thy  lips,  always  in  thy  heart,  for  it  is 
upon  this  condition  that  thou  shalt  ob- 
tain the  advocacy  of  her  prayers,  the  ex- 
ample of  her  virtues.  Following  her, 
thou  wilt  not  err;  imploring  her,  thou 
must  be  filled  with  hope;  thinking  of 
her,  thou  shalt  avoid  all  error;  if  she 
hold  thee  by  the  hand,  thou  canst  not 
fall ; if  she  protects  thee,  thou  hast 
nothing  to  fear ; if  she  guides  thee, 
thou  shalt  experience  no  fatigue;  and 
if  her  favor  conducts  thee  to  the  heavenly 
goal,  thou  shalt  experience  in  thyself 
with  what  justice  it  has  been  written, 
[18] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 


that  1 The  name  of  tlie  Virgin  was 
Mary.’ ” 

Meanwhile,  the  reputation  of  the  sanc- 
tity of  the  Abbot  of  Clairvaux  was  uni- 
versally famed,  and  the  respect  of  man- 
kind went  to  seek  him  in  the  recesses  of 
the  solitude.  Even  in  the  retirement  of 
his  cloister  he  was  often  appointed  to 
arbitrate  on  matters  of  greatest  import- 
ance to  the  Church  and  the  State.  In 
the  year  1128,  being  waited  on  by  the 
Grand  Master  of  the  Knights  Templars, 
he  remodelled  the  rules  of  that  religious 
and  military  Order.  In  1130,  Louis  le 
Gros  charged  him  to  decide  whom  the 
world  should  recognize  as  Pope — Inno- 
cent II.  or  Anaclete — and  St.  Bernard 
pronounced  for  Innocent  (II.),  and  his 
voice  was  the  voice  of  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
nay,  the  universal  Church  submitted 
to  his  decision. 


[19] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

Whilst  Henry  II.  of  England  was 
hesitating  about  acknowledging  Pope 
Innocent,  Bernard  calmed  his  troubled 
mind  by  this  admonition : u Think  of 
nothing  but  of  rendering  to  God  an 
account  of  your  sins;  for  my  part,  I 
charge  myself  with  the  settling  of  this 
question.” 

Some  years  afterwards,  he  was  sent  to 
Milan  to  reconcile  the  clergy  of  that  city 
to  the  clergy  of  Rome.  He  succeeded ; 
and  the  Milanese,  captivated  by  his  supe- 
rior talents  and  virtues,  wished  to  raise 
him  to  the  archiepiscopal  throne  of 
St.  Ambrose;  but  he  declined  this  honor, 
and  returned  to  his  cloister.  A short 
while  after  he  had  entered  religion, 
he  refused  many  bishoprics  in  France. 

In  1140,  he  distinguished  himself  in  the 
Council  of  Sens  by  the  vehemence  of  his 
arguments  against  the  writings  of  Abeil- 
[20] 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

ard,  for  the  condemnation  of  which 
he  labored  inflexibly;  but  as  soon  as 
Abeilard  retracted,  an  intimate  friend- 
ship was  established  between  them. 

One  of  his  monks,  Bernard  of  Pisa, 
whom  he  had  sent  as  abbot  to  the 
monastery  of  the  Three  Fountains,  in 
Italy,  was  now  elected  Pope,  and  took  the 
name  of  Eugene  III.  The  Abbot  of  Clair- 
vaux,  struck  with  astonishment  at  this 
intelligence,  grew  apprehensive  lest  such 
a distinguished  elevation  might  cause  this 
religious  to  lose  sight  of  the  multiplicity 
of  his  duties.  “ Alas  ! ” exclaimed  Ber- 
nard, “ despite  his  merits  and  great  vir- 
tues, he  must  necessarily  fall,  if  God  does 
not  sustain  him.”  It  was  for  him  that  he 
composed  the  beautiful  treatise,  “ De  Con- 
sideratione” — that  admirable  work  which 
constitutes  the  ordinary  reading  of  the 
Sovereign  Pontiffs. 

[21] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 


Now  let  us  see  the  letter  that  he  wrote 
to  Pope  Eugene,  and  listen  to  the  pater- 
nal effusion  of  the  most  loving  soul  that 
ever  existed : 

“Bernard,  Abbot  of  Clairvaux,  offers 
his  humble  respects  to  his  most  amiable 
Father  and  Lord,  Eugene,  by  the  grace 
of  God  Sovereign  Pontiff. 

“ The  news  of  your  elevation  is  spread 
through  this  country.  Attentive  to  all  I 
heard,  I postponed  congratulating  you, 
thinking  that  you  yourself  would  have 
apprised  me  of  the  fact.  I waited  some 
messenger  from  you  to  give  me  in  detail 
all  that  has  occurred.  I hoped  that  one 
of  my  children  would  come  to  alleviate 
my  grief,  and  tell  me,  1 Joseph,  thy  son, 
is  well ; and  he  reigns  over  Egypt?  But 
now  I write  to  you  in  spite  of  myself. 

. . . But  as  I have  begun,  I will 
speak  to  my  Lord.  I no  longer  dare  to 
[22] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

call  you  my  son.  You  Lave  been  such; 
and  to-day  you  are  my  father.  . . . 

You  are  far  above  me;  but  it  is  by  me 
that  you  are  what  you  are.  Yes;  I must 
say  it,  I have  begotten  you ; you  are  my 
hope  before  God,  my  joy  and  my  crown. 
‘ A wise  son  is  the  glory  of  his  father .’ 
’Tis  true  that  I will  no  longer  call  you 
my  son.  The  Lord  has  given  you  a new 
name.  The  hand  of  the  Most  High  has 
wrought  this  change.  Abram  was  called 
Abraham;  Jacob  was  called  Israel ; and, 
not  to  mention  your  predecessors,  Simon 
was  named  Peter ; and  Saul  received  the 
name  of  Paul.  Thus,  by  a change  which 
I hope  will  become  useful  to  the  Church, 
Bernard,  my  son,  calls  himself  Eugene, 
and  becomes  my  father.  . . . Shall  I 

be  the  only  one  who  rejoices  not  at  your 
exaltation  ? Yes,  I do  rejoice ; but  my 
joy,  I do  declare  it,  is  dashed  with  fear ! 

[23] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BEBXAKE. 


My  heart  struggles  with  these  twin  senti- 
ments. Although  in  your  regard  I have 
lost  the  title  of  father,  I still  cherish  all  a 
father’s  tenderness  of  heart ; I am  dazzled 
by  the  splendor  of  your  dignity,  and  I 
tremble  in  presence  of  the  dangers  that 
surround  you.  You  are  now  in  the  chair 
of  Peter,  of  the  Prince  of  the  Apostles; 
of  him  whom  the  Lord  has  constituted 
chief  and  master  of  his  house.  The  ashes 
of  his  tomb  will  rise  up  against  you® if 
you  do  not  follow  his  spirit  and  examples. 
. . . His  hands  were  pure ; his  heart 

disinterested ; he  said  boldly,  ‘ Gold  and 
silver  I have  not.’  I say  no  more  on  this 
point.  You  are  constituted  master  of 
nations  and  empires ; to  pull  down  and 
build  up ; to  plant  and  to  destroy. 
. . . Nevertheless,  remember  that  you 

are  man.  Never  lose  sight  of  that  God 
who  casts  down  the  great  ones  of  the 
[24] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

earth.  How  many  popes  have  died  in  a 
brief  span  of  time  under  your  own  €*yes  ? 
Their  reign  was  short,  and  so  shall  it  be 
with  yours.  In  the  midst  of  the  pomps 
of  a transitory  glory,  meditate  constantly 
on  your  end,  and  remember  that  very 
soon  you,  too,  shall  go  to  rejoin  in  the  se- 
pulchre those  whose  place  you  fill  on  the 
apostolic  throne.” 

How  extraordinary  the  life  of  the  Abbot 
of  Clairvaux,  who  was  thus  powerful  in 
influencing  souls,  and  whose  counsels  were 
received  as  ordinances  from  heaven  ! Ever 
and  anon  we  find  him  passing  from  the 
depths  of  his  seclusion  to  the  centres  of 
courts;  never  out  of  his  place;  without 
title ; but,  at  the  same  time,  enjoying  that 
personal  consideration  which  excels  au- 
thority. The  simple  monk  of  Clairvaux 
is  far  more  powerful  than  the  Abbot  Su- 
ger,  then  Prime-Minister  of  France;  and 
[25] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

tliis  same  monk  maintains  an  ascendency 
over  Pope  Eugene  III.,  who  had  been  his 
disciple — an  ascendency  that  reflects  honor 
on  them  both.  Few,  indeed,  were  the 
men  who,  like  St.  Bernard,  would  have 
ventured  to  address  monarchs  in  such  lam 
guage  as  this:  “Prince,  is  it  not  the  Lord 
who  has  constituted  you  king  over  Israel? 
wherefore,  then,  have  you  not  heard  his 
voice  ?”  Louis  le  Gros  usurps  the  rights 
of  the  Church;  noble-minded  prelates 
arise  to  resist  this  innovation ; the  kins: 
banishes  them,  and  recourse  is  had  to  our 
Saint.  “Prince,”  says  he,  “the  Church 
speaks  and  complains  that  he  whom  she 
had  received  as  her  defender  should  him- 
self become  a persecutor.  Ah  ! wherefore 
do  you  reign  upon  earth,  if  not  to  cause 
justice  to  reign?”  France,  Italy,  and 
Germany  beheld  Bernard  broad-casting 
the  divine  fire  that  Jesus  Christ  came  to 
[26] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

scatter  on  the  earth,  that  fire  that  inflamed 
his  heart.  Bernard,  in  his  single  person, 
was  sufficient  for  the  multiplied  and  vari- 
ous necessities  of  the  Church. 

But  let  us  look  at  Bernard  when  all 
Europe  was  about  to  pour  itself  into  Asia : 
he  seems  to  hold  all  the  populations  in  his 
hands.  The  afflicted  Christians  of  the 
East  have  implored  succors  against  their 
persecuting  tyrants.  Pope  Eugene  and 
the  King  of  France  exhort  Bernard  to 
preach  a second  Crusade,  and  immediately 
his  zeal  and  activity  triumphed  over  all 
obstacles.  His  sermons  captivate  myriads, 
influence  the  nobility,  and  convince  em- 
perors and  kings.  “ He  who  had  taken 
him  from  his  mother’s  bosom  to  do  Ins 
work,”  says  one  of  his  contemporary  bio- 
graphers, ugave  to  his  feeble  body  a voice 
powerful  and  capable  of  making  itself 
heard.”  His  discourses,  on  all  occasions, 
[27] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

whenever  he  appeared  for  the  edification 
of  souls,  were  accommodated  to  the  intel- 
ligence of  his  auditors.  He  spoke  to  pea- 
sants as  though  he  had  lived  all  his  life 
amongst  them,  and  to  the  other  classes  of 
men  as  though,  he  had  consecrated  all  his 
life  to  the  study  of  their  works.  Learned 
with  the  learned,  simple  amongst  the  sim- 
ple, rich  in  precepts  of  wisdom  and  per- 
fection amongst  spiritual  men,  he  placed 
himself  on  a level  with  each  and  all  of 
them,  desiring  nothing  but  to  win  them 
to  Jesus  Christ.  God  endowed  him  won- 
derfully with  the  powers  of  consoling  and 
convincing,  and  taught  him  when  and 
how  to  speak  whensoever  it  became  his 
duty  to  administer  comfort,  supplicate 
favors,  exhort,  or  rebuke.  No  one  can 
have  an  adequate  notion  of  these  powers 
till  he  reads  the  writings  of  our  Saint,  and 
even  then  he  shall  have  acquired  a less 
[28] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

perfect  estimate  of  them  than  they 
who  heard  him.  Such  grace  flowed 
from  his  lips,  such  w^as  the  fire  and 
vehemence  of  his  diction,  that  his  pen, 
all  exquisite  as  it  was,  could  not  trans- 
fuse the  same  amount  of  sweetness  and 
warmth;*  milk  and  honey  flowed  in  his 
words,  and  the  law  of  fire  was  on  his 
lips.  Thus,  when  he  preached  to  the 
Germans,  who  did  not  understand  him, 
they  were  more  vividly  influenced  by  the 
sound  of  his  voice  than  when  the  inter- 
preters commenced  explaining  to  them 
the  meaning  of  his  words;  striking  their 
breasts,  and  shedding  copious  tears,  they 
evinced  the  emotion  which  that  voice  had 
caused  them  to  experience. 

Even  to  this  day,  tradition  points  out 
the  spot,  at  the  foot  of  the  vast  and  beau 
tiful  church  of  Vezelay,  whence  the  re- 
ligious enthusiasm  diffused  itself  amongst 
1.29] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

the  myriads  who  listened  to  him.  It  was 
of  this  place  that  he  wrote  to  the  Pope 
thus:  “Your  authority  has  rendered  my 
obedience  fruitful:  the  hamlets  and  the 
castles  are  deserted,  and  one  everywhere 
meets  widows  whose  husbands  are  liv- 
ing.” 

In  vain  did  the  wise  Suger  try  to  resist 
him.  Louis  VII.  took  the  cross,  and 
marched  at  the  head  of  all  the  brave 
men  who  flocked  to  his  standard ; a dis- 
taff and  spindle  were  sent  as  a mark  of 
contempt  to  those  who  would  not  join 
the  armies,  and  the  fear  of  being  con- 
sidered cowards  acted  wonderfully  on 
those  who  had  not  been  influenced  by 
the  religious  enthusiasm.  The  military 
chiefs  had  such  unbounded  confidence  in 
Bernard  that  they  offered  him  the  general 
command  of  the  army  that  marched  in 
1147 ; but  the  example  of  Peter  the  Her- 

[30] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BEI5XARD. 


mit,  who  commanded  the  first  Crusade 
in  1118,  deterred  him  from  accepting 
such  responsibility,  and  he  refused  to  act 
otherwise  than  in  the  capacity  of  preach- 
er. If  the  Crusade  eventuated  unhappi- 
ly, the  misfortune  is  not  to  be  attributed 
to  him.  In  his  “ Apology  for  the  Cru- 
sade,” he  has  clearly  proved  that  the  sad 
result  was  to  be  ascribed  to  the  Crusaders 
themselves.  “ Since  it  must  be  told,” 
said  he  to  those  who  reproached  him 
with  excess  of  zeal,  “I  assert  that  you 
must  do  one  of  two  things — you  must 
either  murmur  against  God  or  against 
me;  but  I would  rather  you  showered 
your  reproaches  on  me  than  on  the  Lord  ; 
and  for  my  part,  it  is  to  me  a great  glory 
that  the  Lord  has  chosen  me  for  a buckler 
wherewith  to  cover  himself.” 

One  of  the  most  subtle  and  dangerous 
temptations  to  which  a Christian  is  ex- 
[31] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

posed  is  the  temptation  of  pride  in  pros- 
perity. In  order  to  triumph  over  it,  Ber- 
nard submitted  himself  to  the  ordinary 
rule  of  his  monks ; and  it  was  for  this 
reason  that  he  would  cast  off  the  hair- 
shirt  which  he  had  secretly  worn  for 
years,  sooner  than  expose  himself  to  those 
who  knew  that  he  carried  it.  But  how 
could  he  close  his  eyes  to  the  miracles 
which  God  wrought  by  his  hands  ? How 
could  he  refrain  from  dwelling  on  them 
with  complacency  when  the  mosc  distin- 
guished cities — Constance,  Bale,  Treves, 
and  Cologne — bore  testimony  to  them, 
and  when  the  fame  of  them  had  gone 
abroad  over  the  world  \ Let  us  hear 
himself : u I ask  myself,  with  the  pro- 
foundest  astonishment,  what  do  these 
miracles  signify,  and  why  it  is  that  God 
has  been  pleased  to  perform  them  by  my 
hands  ? I do  not  remember  having  read 
[82] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 


anything  in  the  pages  of  Holy  Writ  on 
this  species  of  miracles.  In  fact,  wonders 
are  sometimes  performed  by  holy  and 
perfect  men,  and.  sometimes  also  by  im- 
postors. I am  well  convinced  that  I am 
far  from  perfection,  but  I am  persuaded 
that  I am  equally  far  from  being  an  im- 
postor. I know  I do  not  possess  the 
merits  of  the  Saints  who  have  been  illus- 
trious for  miracles,  but  I feel  certain  that 
I do  not  belong  to  that  class  of  men  wTho 
perform  many  wonderful  things  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  are  all  the  while 
perfectly  unknown  to  the  Lord.” 

Is  not  this  the  place  to  state  of  St.  Ber- 
nard what  he  asserted  of  St.  Malachy,  to 
wit,  that  the  greatest  miracle  he  could  see 
in  him  was  himself?  His  death  was 
comformable  to  his  holy  life.  Every  day 
he  approached  his  end  with  a joy  of 
heart  and  satisfaction  of  soul  that  seem- 
[33] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

ed  to  say,  “I  have  consummated  the 
works  that  my  Father  gave  me  to  per- 
form.” 

Henceforth  we  find  him  ceasing,  as  it 
were,  to  act,  detaching  himself  from  all 
earthly  affections,  concentrating  him- 
self, with  continual  recollection,  in  holy 
yearnings,  and  using  them,  says  one  of 
his  biographers,  as  so  many  anchors 
wherewith  to  moor  himself  firmly  on  the 
eternal  shore  which  he  was  rapidly  ap- 
proaching. Thus,  one  day,  when  solicited 
to  take  on  him  the  management  of  some 
important  matters,  he  replied:  “I  am  no 
longer  of  this  world.”  In  a confidential 
letter  to  one  of  his  friends,  we  find  the 
last  echo  of  his  angelic  voice.  Let  us, 
therefore,  treasure  a few  words  from  his 
expiring  lips:  uWe  have  received  in  the 
spirit  of  charity,  and  not  with  the  senti- 
ments of  worldly  respect,  the  testimonies 
[34] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

of  your  charity.  What  pleasure  can  there 
be  for  a man  who  is  entirely  a prey  to 
acutest  sufferings?  An  inability  to  eat 
anything  is  in  some  degree  the  only  joy 
that  I know  now.  Sleep  has  totally 
abandoned  me,  scared  away  by  the  ap- 
prehension that  in  this  bitter  moment  re- 
pose might  lull  the  sensation  of  pain. 
. . . In  the  midst  of  all  these  tribula- 

tions, for  I will  not  conceal  anything  from 
a friend  solicitous  about  the  state  of  my 
soul,  nay,  not  even  that  which  is  most  in- 
terior in  me,  I declare  to  you,  in  language 
unadorned  by  scientific  phrases,  that  my 
soul  is  always  prompt  in  its  infirm  flesh. 
Pray,  then,  the  Saviour,  who  willeth  not 
the  death  of  a sinner,  not  to  prolong  my 
exile,  but  rather  to  watch  over  my  happy 
exodus  out  of  this  world.” 

In  a word,  Bernard  had  lived  suf- 
ciently  long;  his  genius  had  sustained 
[35] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

the  Church,  and  produced  a blessed  im- 
pression on  his  time ; extenuated  by  fast- 
enings and  austerities  of  his  solicitude,  he 
never  left  his  cell,  save  to  preach  penance 
and  the  severe  maxims  of  religion  to 
peoples  and  kings.  His  words  stimulated 
the  most  abandoned  to  cultivate  virtue, 
nay,  the  very  sight  of  this  heaven-sent 
man  edified  myriads.  His  discourses  in- 
structed them,  and  his  examples  broad- 
cast innumerable  remembrances  over  the 
world : he  left  behind  him  a thousand 
abbeys,  children  of  Clairvaux,  and  a spe- 
cial Order  of  his  name,  the  Bernardines, 
whom  the  last  revolution  saw  and  respect- 
ed. He  might  have  passed  from  earth  to 
Veaven  to  receive  an  immortal  crown  ; but 
his  charity  still  detained  him  here  below 
Turning  up  his  eyes,  filled  with  angelic 
sweetness,  to  heaven,  he  thus  addressed 
seven  hundred  of  his  community : a i 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 


know  not  to  which  of  the  two  I ougdit 

O 

to  surrender  myself,  whether  to  the 
love  of  my  children  that  presses  me  to 
tarry  here  on  earth,  or  to  the  love  of  my 
God  that  attracts  me  upwards.” 

He  expired  on  the  20th  of  August, 
1153,  in  the  sixty-third  year  of  his  age, 
after  having  been  thirty-eight  years  Abbot 
of  Clairvaux.  He  was  interred  in  his 
monastery  before  the  altar  of  the  Virgin. 
Alexander  III.  enrolled  him  in  the  num- 
ber of  the  Saints  in  1175,  twenty  years 
after  his  decease. 


PRAYER. 

Great  Saint,  glory  of  the  Church,  and 
honor  of  the  Christian  world  ! thou  in 
whom  shone  forth  so  brilliantly  zeal  for 
God,  sweetness,  chastity,  love  of  solitude, 
and  mortification ! O great  Saint,  in 
[87] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  BERNARD. 

fcercede  for  us  with  the  Lord  ! and  obtain 
for  us  some  of  those  virtues  that  constitute 
true  Christians,  and  merit  for  them  a 
place  in  the  eternal  abode  of  the  elect  l 


flBBJ 


tr 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  CECILIA, 

VIRGIN  AND  MARTYR. 


CECILIA  occupies  a distinguished 
place  amongst  the  Virgin-Martyrs  crown- 
ed by  the  Church,  and  now  following  the 
Lamb  in  heaven. 

Her  name  was  inserted  in  the  Canon 
of  the  Mass  in  the  earliest  times  of 
Christianity,  and  it  is  also  found  in  the 
most  ancient  calendars  and  martyrologies 
In  the  fourth  century  a church  was  built 
in  Rome,  under  the  invocation  of  this 
saint.  This  church  was  rebuilt  by  Pope 
(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CECILIA. 

Paschal  the  First,  in  the  eighth  century. 
At  that  time  search  was  made  in  vain  for 
the  relics  of  the  saint,  and  it  was  gener- 
ally believed  that  Astulphus,  king  of  the 
Lombards,  had  carried  them  away  when 
he  pillaged  Rome  in  735.  The  saint  her- 
self appeared  in  a dream  to  Pope  Paschal 
the  First,  and  commanded  him  to  per- 
severe in  the  search  for  her  precious  re- 
mains, and  he  at  length  found  them  in  the 
cemetery,  called  after  St.  Cecilia  herself. 
The  body  was  found  enveloped  in  cloth 
of  gold  tissue,  and  at  her  feet  were  pieces 
of  linen  saturated  with  blood.  The  Pope 
translated  her  body  along  with  those  of 
Saints  Valerian,  Tiburcius,  Maximus,  and 
the  holy  Popes,  St.  Urban  and  St.  Lucius, 
to  the  church  sacred  to  the  name  of  our 
Saint. 

In  1599,  eight  centuries  after  this  in- 
humation, the  body  of  St.  Cecilia  was  dis- 
(4) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CECILIA. 


covered  in  a case  of  cypress  wood,  laid  in 
a marble  tomb.  Pope  Clement  then 
caused  a magnificent  shrine  of  silver  to  be 
made  for  the  holy  relics,  which  still  exists. 

Let  us  now  briefly  relate  the  history  of 
this  saint,  which  throws  great  light  on  the 
lives  and  martyrdom  of  St.  Valerian  and 
St.  Tiburcius,  who  suffered  along  with 
her. 

Saint  Cecilia  was  bom  at  Rome,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  third  century.  She  was 
of  a patrician  family.  It  is  not  ascer- 
tained that  her  parents  were  Christians, 
but  she  indubitably  was  brought  up  in 
the  faith.  Gifted  with  wealth,  genius,  and 
beauty,  the  richest  and  noblest  of  the 
Roman  youth  sought  her  hand  in  marri- 
age, but  as  Cecilia  had  made  a vow  of 
perpetual  virginity,  she  stood  aloof  from 
all  suitors.  God  was  the  only  spouse 
who  could  satisfy  her  heart. 

(5) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CECILIA. 

Cecilia  loved  nmsic,  and  lier  history 
infonns  us  that  in  her  retirement  from  the 
pomps  and  transitory  amusements  of  the 
world,  she  was  wont  to  sing  the  praises 
of  God,  accompanying  herself  on  various 
instruments.  It  was  thus  she  poured  forth 
her  soul  to  God  in  strains  of  sweetest  melo- 
dy. She  would  fain  employ  herself 
on  earth  as  the  saints  are  employed  in 
heaven ; but  all  this  felicity  was  fast  ap- 
proaching its  term.  Her  parents  disre- 
garding the  vow  she  had  made,  caused 
her  to  marry  a young  man  of  noble  line- 
age, named  Valerian.  Cecilia  obeyed 
her  parents,  but  she  was  not  the  less  faith- 
ful to  her  vow.  God  himself  inspired  her 
spouse  to  receive  baptism ; the  sacrament 
was  conferred  on  him  by  Pope  Urban, 
whom  the  persecutors  had  driven  to  take 
shelter  in  the  tombs  of  the  martyrs.  For 
this  new  Christian,  God  had  already  pre- 
(6) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CECILIA. 

pared  a martyr’s  crown.  Valerian’s  first 
act  was  to  labor  for  tlie  conversion  of  his 
brother  Tiburtius,  and  in  this  holy  work 
he  was  zealously  assisted  by  Cecilia,  who 
convinced  him  that  the  teachings  of  the 
Pagans  were  merely  chimerical  fables. 
Soon  afterwards  Tiburtius  received  the 
sacrament  of  baptism  at  the  hands  of  Pope 
St.  Urban.  Thus  did  Christianity  gain 
another  champion  who  was  soon  to  de- 
scend into  the  arena,  and  there  win  a 
martyr’s  palm. 

Cecilia,  Valerian,  and  Tiburtius  spent 
their  wealth  in  succoring  the  Christians 
whom  the  Pagans  had  cast  into  prison  : 
and  they  devoted  much  of  their  time  to 
burying  the  bodies  of  the  martyrs. 
Intelligence  of  these  facts  soon  reached 
Almachius,  prefect  of  Rome,  who  vainly 
sought  to  pervert  Valerian  and  Tiburtius. 
To  all  his  instances  they  replied  thus ■ 
(7) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CECILIA. 


“ Hitherto,  Almachius,  we  have  been  in 
deplorable  error,  adoring  gods  of  wood 
and  stone  ; but  the  true  God  has  deigned 
to  enlighten  us  and  bring  us  to  the 
Christian  faith.  Sooner  or  later,  oh 
Almachius,  you  shall  discover  the  folly 
of  giving  adoration  to  such  insensate 
things.”  On  hearing  this,  Almachius 
ordered  them  to  be  scourged,  and  then 
to  be  handed  over  to  a priest  of  J upiter, 
who  had  orders  to  compel  them  to  offer 
sacrifice  to  the  statue  of  this  fabulous  god. 
The  officer  who  led  them  to  Jupiter’s 
priest  was  named  Maximus,  and  God  had 
already  begun  to  touch  the  heart  of  this 
man.  Seeing  a ray  of  joy  beaming  in 
the  faces  of  the  brothers,  Maximus  inquired 
how  they  could  be  cheerful  at  such  a 
dreadful  moment  ? 

‘ 1 II  ear  me,  Maxim  us,”  replied  Tiburtius  *, 
u we  are  going  to  enter'  into  life  eternal 
(8) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CECILIA. 

This  temporal  state  is  replete  with  misery, 
but  it  has  its  teim,  sooner  or  later,  for 
all  of  us.  For  the  faithful,  God  has  pre- 
pared a realm  of  never-ending  happiness 
The  wicked  must  perish  eternally;  but 
Christ  has  promised  to  bestowjthe  choicest 
blessings  on  those  who  lay  down  their 
lives  for  him.”  On  the  instant  Maximus 
declared  his  intention  of  becoming  a 
Christian.  That  very  night  he  received 
instructions  from  Cecilia,  and  prepared 
himself  for  baptism.  Next  dayTiburtius 
and  Valerian  were  beheaded,  and  Maximus 
witnessing  their  execution,  exclaimed — 
“ Oh,  what  would  I not  give  to  share  your 
triumph,  ye  blessed  martyrs  of  Jesus 
Christ.” 

Almachius  ordered  him  to  be  torturer], 
and  he  expired  with  eyes  fixed  on  heaven, 
even  while  the  executioner  was  causing 
him  the  intensest  agonies. 

(9) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CECILIA. 

Cecilia  having  now  become  sole  mistress 
of  her  husband’s  property,  sold  it,  and 
gave  the  money  to  the  poor,  for  she  knew 
that  the  day  of  her  own  martyrdom  was 
approaching.  Draggedbefore Almachius, 
she  scorned  every  proposal  made  to  her. 
“ What,”  said  she,  “ are  not  your  idols 
stone  and  marble  ? Has  not  Jesus,  the 
Redeemer,  promised  eternal  life  to  his 
faithful  followers,  and  do  you  think  me 
so  stolid  as  to  forfeit  that  eternal  life  for 
a few  years  of  hollow  remorseful  pleas- 
ures'?” Upwards  of  400  persons  who  heard 
these  words  embraced  the  Crhistian  faith, 
and  were  baptized  by  Pope  St.  Urban. 

Cited  once  more  to  the  tribunal  of 
Almachius,  and  being  told  that  it  was  her 
duty  to  obey  the  emperor,  she  replied : 
“ God  and  his  holy  laws  have  the  first 
and  the  most  imperative  claims  to  my 
obedience.” 

(10) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CECILIA. 


Thereon  Almachius  ordered  her  to  be 
shut  up  in  a stove,  and  when  he  learned 
that  she  was  not  dead,  he  sentenced  her 
to  be  decapitated.  Whether  it  was  that 
the  hand  of  the  executioner  trembled,  or 
that  God  meant  to  glorify  the  courage  of 
his  servant,  after  receiving  two  sword- 
strokes,  the  head  was  but  half  severed. 
In  this  state  the  saint  lay  weltering  in 
her  blood  for  three  days,  and,  in  fact, 
she  implored  God  to  grant  her  three  days 
of  life  to  console  and  animate  the  con- 
verts who  swarmed  round  her.  At 
length,  on  the  third  day  (November  22nd, 
232),  her  soul  went  to  receive  its  glorious 
reward.  Pope  Urban  assisted  her  in  her 
last  moments. 

Musicians  have  chosen  St.  Cecilia  for 
their  patroness,  for  she  employed  this 
holy  science  to  celebrate  God’s  praises. 

“Music,”  says  Chateaubriand,  “has 
(11) 


THE  LIFE  OF  SI.  CECILIA. 

been  taught  by  angels,  and  the  source  of 
harmony  is  in  heaven.  Religion  inspires 
the  vestal  to  pour  out  strains  of  melody 
in  the  deep  stillness  of  midnight,  beneath 
the  tranquil  domes.  Religion  sings  at 
the  bedside  of  the  unfortunate — religion 
inspired  the  wailings  of  Jeremias,  and 
the  doleful  cadences  of  the  Penitential 
Psalms.  Christianity  invented  the  organ, 
and  breathed  the  breath  of  song  into 
brass  itself ; it  saved  music  in  the  ages  of 
barbarism — nay,  by  its  agency  it  has 
converted  the  wild  savages.  Religion  of 
peace  ! thou  hast  not  any  code  of  hatreds 
or  discords — all  thy  teacliings  are  love 
and  harmony  ! ” 

PRAYER. 

Holy  Cecilia ! obtain  for  us  from  God 
ardent  zeal,  pure  love  of  Him,  and  per- 
severance in  that  Holy  Faith  for  which 
thou  hast  laid  down  thy  life. 

(12) 


THE  LIFE  OF  SAINT  GEORGE, 


MARTYR. 


AINT  GEORGE  is  honored  in  the 


Catholic  Church  as  one  of  the  most 
illustrious  martyrs  of  Christ.  The  Greeks 
have  long  distinguished  him  by  the  title 
of  The  Great  Martyr,  and  keep  his  festi- 
val a holyday  of  obligation.  There  stood 
formerly  in  Constantinople  five  or  six 
churches  dedicated  in  his  honor,  the  old- 
est of  which  was  always  said  to  have 
been  built  by  Constantine  the  Great,  who 
seems  also  to  have  been  the  founder  of 
the  Church  of  St.  George,  which  stood 
over  his  tomb  in  Palestine.  Both  these 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GEOKGE. 

churches  were  certainly  built  under  the 
first  Christian  emperors.  In  the  middle 
of  the  sixth  age,  the  Emperor  Justinian 
erected  a new  church  in  honor  of  this 
Saint  in  Bizanes,  in  Lesser  Armenia ; the 
Emperor  Mauritius  founded  one  in  Con- 
stantinople. It  is  related  in  the  life  of 
St.  Theodoras  of  Siceon  that  he  served 
God  a long  while  in  a chapel  which  bore 
the  name  of  St.  George,  had  a particular 
devotion  to  this  glorious  martyr,  and 
strongly  recommended  the  same  to  Mail- 
ri tius  when  he  foretold  him  the  empire. 
One  of  the  Churches  of  St.  George  in  Con- 
stantinople, called  Manganes,  with  a mo- 
nastery adjoining,  gave  to  the  Hellespont 
the  name  of  the  Arm  of  St.  George.  To 
this  day  is  St.  George  honored  as  the 
principal  patron  or  tutelar  Saint  by  seve- 
ral Eastern  nations,  particularly  the  Geor- 
gians. The  Byzantine  historians  relate 
[21 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GEOEGE. 


several  battles  to  have  been  gained  and 
other  miracles  wrought  through  his  inter- 
cession. From  frequent  'pilgrimages  to 
his  Church  and  tomb  in  Palestine,  per- 
formed by  those  who  visited  the  Holy 
Land,  his  veneration  was  much  propa- 
gated over  the  West.  St.  Gregory  of 
Tours  mentions  him  as  highly  celebrated 
in  France  in  the  sixth  century.  St.  Gre- 
gory the  Great  ordered  an  old  church  of 
St.  George  which  was  fallen  to  decay  to 
be  repaired.  PI  is  office  is  found  in  the 
sacramentary  of  that  pope  and  many 
others.  St.  Clotildis,  wife  of  Clovis,  the 
first  Christian  king  of  France,  erected  al- 
tars under  his  name;  and  the  Church  of 
Chelles,  built  by  her,  was  originally  dedi- 
cated in  his  honor.  The  ancient  life  of 
Droctovseus  mentions  that  certain  relics 
of  St.  George  were  placed  in  the  Church 
of  St.  Vincent,  now  called  St.  Germaris, 
[3] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GEORGE. 

in  Paris,  when  it  was  first  consecrated. 
Eortunatus  of  Poitiers  wrote  an  epigram 
on  a church  of  St.  George  in  Mentz.  The 
intercession  of  this  Saint  was  implored 
especially  in  battles,  and  by  warriors,  as 
appears  by  several  instances  in  the  By- 
zantine history,  and  he  is  said  to  have 
been  himself  a great  soldier.  He  is  at 
this  day  the  tutelar  Saint  of  the  republic 
of  Genoa,  and  was  chosen  by  our  ancestors 
in  the  same  quality  under  our  first  Nor- 
man kings.  The  great  national  council 
held  in  Oxford,  in  1222,  commanded  his 
feast  to  be  kept  a holyday  of  the  lesser 
rank  throughout  all  England.  Under 
his  name  and  ensign  was  instituted  by  our 
victorious  King  Edward  III.,  in  1330,  the 
most  noble  order  of  knighthood  in  Europe, 
consisting  of  twenty-five  knights,  beside 
the  sovereign.  Its  establishment  is  dated 
fifty  years  before  the  Knights  of  St.  Mi- 
[4] 


-4- 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GEOKGE. 

chael  were  instituted  in  France  by  Louis 
XL;  eighty  years  before  the  order  of  the 
Golden  Fleece,  established  by  Philip  the 
Good,  Duke  of  Burgundy;  and  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety  before  the  order  of  St. 
Andrew  was  set  up  in  Scotland  by  James 
V.  The  Emperor  Frederick  IV.  insti- 
tuted, in  1470,  an  order  of  knights  in 
honor  of  St.  George;  and  an  honorable 
military  order  in  Venice  bears  his  name. 

The  extraordinary  devotion  of  all 
Christendom  to  this  Saint  is  an  authentic 
proof  how  glorious  his  triumph  and  name 
have  always  been  in  the  Church.  All 
his  acts  relate  that  he  suffered  under  Dio- 
cletian, at  Nicomedia.  Joseph  Assemani 
shows,  from  the  unanimous  consent  of  all 
churches,  that  he  was  crowned  on  the 
23d  of  April.  According  to  the  account 
given  us  by  Metaphrastes,  he  was  born  in 
Cappadocia,  of  noble  Christian  parents, 
[5] 


J 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GEORGE. 

After  the  death  of  his  father,  he  went 
with  his  mother  into  Palestine,  she  being 
a native  of  that  country,  and  having 
there  a considerable  estate,  which  fell  to 
her  son  George.  He  was  strong  and 
robust  in  body,  and,  having  embraced  the 
profession  of  a soldier,  was  made  a 
tribune  or  colonel  in  the  army.  By  his 
courage  and  conduct,  he  was  soon  pre- 
ferred to  higher  stations  by  the  Emperor 
Diocletian.  When  that  prince  waged 
war  against  the  Christian  religion,  St. 
George  laid  aside  the  marks  of  his  dignity, 
threw  up  his  commission  and  posts,  and 
complained  to  the  emperor  himself  of  his 
severities,  and  bloody  edicts.  He  was 
immediately  cast  into  prison,  and  tried, 
first  by  promises,  and  afterwards  put  to 
the  cpiestion,  and  tortured  with  great 
cruelty ; but  nothing  could  shake  his  con- 
stancy. The  next  day  he  was  led  through 
[6] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GEORGE. 

the  city  and  beheaded.  Some  think  him 
to  have  been  the  same  illustrious  young 
man  who  tore  down  the  edicts  when  they 
were  first  fixed  up  at  Nicomedia,  as  Lac- 
tantius  relates  in  his  book,  “ Ou  the  Death 
of  the  Percecutors,”  and  Eusebius  in  his 
History.  The  reason  why  St.  George  has 
been  regarded  as  the  patron  of  military 
men  is  partly  upon  the  score  of  his  pro- 
fession, and  partly  upon  the  credit  of  a 
relation  of  his  appearing  to  the  Christian 
army  in  the  holy  war  before  the  battle 
of  Antioch.  The  success  of  this  battle 
proving  fortunate  to  the  Christians  under 
Godfrey  of  Bouillon,  made  the  name  of 
St.  George  more  famous  in  Europe,  and 
disposed  the  military  men  to  implore 
more  particularly  his  intercession.  This 
devotion  was  confirmed,  as  it  is  said,  by 
an  apparition  of  St.  George  to  our  King 
Richard  I,  in  his  expedition  against  the 
[7J 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GEORGE. 

Saracens,  which  vision,  being  declared  to 
the  troops,  was  to  them  a great  encourage- 
ment, and  they  soon  after  defeated  the 
enemy.  St.  George  is  usually  painted  on 
horseback,  and  tilting  at  a dragon  under 
his  feet;  but  this  representation  is  no 
more  than  an  emblematical  figure,  pur- 
porting that,  by  his  faith  and  Christian 
fortitude,  he  conquered  the  devil,  called 
the  dragon  in  the  Apocalypse. 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SA.HSTT  A.2S TDSTE, 

MOTHER  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN. 

THE  name  of  Anne,  which  in  Hebrew 
signifies  u gracious,”  shall  always  be 
venerated  amongst  Christians,  for  it  is  the 
name  of  the  mother  of  Mary.  How  great 
was  Anne’s  glory  in  having  given  birth 
to  her  who  was  the  mother  of  God ! . . . , 
“ How,”  exclaims  St.  John  Damascene, 
“ shall  we  worthily  praise  her  from  whom 
we  ha've  received  the  admirable  and 
precious  fruit  that  has  given  Jesus  to 
us?  '* 

A 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE. 

St.  Anne  lived  at  Nazaretli,  a town  ol 
Lower  Galilee,  a short  distance  from 
Mount  Carmel.  Accor  ding*  to  the  oninion 
of  St.  Augustine,  she  was  of  the  priestly 
tribe.  She  married  a just  man,  named 
Joachim,  of  the  tribe  of  Juda,  and  of  the 
race  of  David  by  Nathan. 

Those  spouses  walked  before  God  in 
the  ways  of  the  most  perfect  justice, 
spending  their  days  in  prayers,  labor, 
and  almsgiving;  they  awaited,  with  all 
the  ardent  faith  of  ancient  days,  the  Mes- 
siah that  had  been  announced  by  the 
prophets,  the  Messiah  so  long  promised  to 
Israel ; and  according  to  the  predictions, 
the  time  in  which  he  should  appear  was 
not  far  off. 

Anne,  having  arrived  at  an  advanced 
age  without  children,  could  not,  like  the 
other  women  of  Israel,  cherish  a hope 
that  the  Messiah  would  spring  from  her 
(4) 


TKF  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE 


blood;  but  tit  the  moment  when  this 
great  blessing  seemed  to  escape  her,  the 
all-powerful  Wisdom  ordained  quite  the 
contrary.  The  laws  of  nature  are  re- 
versed before  the  Lord’s  designs : Anne, 
sterile  for  twenty  years,  conceives  mi- 
raculously, and  gives  birth  to  her  who 
was  to  bring  forth  the  Son  of  God,  the 
desired  of  nations,  the  divine  Redeemer 
of  the  human  race. 

Thenceforth  Anne  could  not  but  call 
herself  blessed ; and,  in  fact,  was  she  not 
so  ? she  who  gave  birth  to  her  who  was 
supereminently  blessed  amongst  women  ! 
Ponder  on  the  beautiful  canticle  of  thanks- 
giving which  she  pronounced — “I  will 
sing  the  praises  of  my  God,”  cries  the 
blessed  mother  in  the  transports  of  he*, 
joy  ; “I  will  sing  the  praises  of  my  God, 
because  he  has  visited  me  in  his  love, 
and  has  not  left  my  name  to  opprobrium.” 

(5) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE. 

Twenty-four  days  after  the  birth  oi 
her  child,  Anne  repaired  to  the  Temple 
to  obey  a precept  of  the  law  ; and,  like 
Anne,  wife  of  Elcana,  consecrating  Sam- 
uel to  God,  the  spouse  of  Joachim  de- 
voted her  dear  Mary  to  the  service  of  the 
Temple — Mary,  that  sweet  flower  where- 
with the  Lord  had  perfumed  her  old  age. 
How  much  must  this  sacrifice  have  cost 
this  tender  mother ! but  in  her  gratitude 
she  was  only  too  happy  to  present  to  the 
Lord  that  which  in  his  love  he  had  be- 
stowed on  her.  Three  years  afterwards, 
and  when  Mary’s  reason  was  shining 
forth  brilliantly,  even  at  that  early 
period,  Anne  returned  to  Jerusalem  to 
fulfil  her  vow.  Mary  being  solemnly 
consecrated  to  the  Lord,  was  left  in  the 
Temple  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  pious 
mother  went  back  to  her  home,  but  not 
without  shedding  tears,  for  upon  Mary, 
(6) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE. 

ever  since  God  had  given  her,  were  con- 
centrated all  the  thoughts  and  aspirations 
of  the  pious  mother. 

.A  pious  writer  thus  represents  St.  Anne, 
going  from  time  to  time  to  Jerusalem  to 
visit  her  daughter — “ With  what  joy  did 
this  pious  mother  put  on  her  travelling 
veil  to  go  to  the  holy  city ! ” 

“Whether  Joachim,  on  his  death-bed, 
had  entrusted  the  Virgin  to  the  special 
protection  of  the  priesthood,  or  whether 
the  magistrates,  on  whom  devolved  the 
duty  of  providing  for  orphans,  had  them- 
selves selected  guardians  from  the  illus- 
trious family  of  Aaron,  to  whom  she  was 
allied  on  the  maternal  side,  or  that  the 
guardianship  of  children,  devoted  to  the 
service  of  the  Temple,  belonged  by  right 
to  the  Levites,  one  thing  is,  however, 
certain,  that  after  the  death  of  the  pious 
authors  c f her  existence,  Mary  had  guard- 
ed 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE. 


ians  from  among  the  sacerdotal  race.  If 
we  be  allowed  to  hazard  an  opinion,  we 
should  say  that  it  is  very  probable  that 
the  duties  of  this  guardianship  were  par- 
ticularly entrusted  to  the  pious  spouse  of 
Elizabeth,  as  his  high  reputation  of  virtue, 
together  with  her  claim  of  a near  relative, 
would  point  him  out  as  peculiarly  fitted 
for  that  office.  The  anxiety  and  desire 
which  the  Blessed  Virgin  manifested,  two 
or  three  years  later  in  travelling  all  Judea, 
to  present  her  congratulations  to  the 
mother  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  and  her 
prolonged  stay  in  the  highlands  of  He- 
bron, would,  indeed,  point  out  that  closer 
ties  than  those  of  mere  relationship 
existed  between  them.  According  to  the 
modes  of  observance  strictly  adopted 
among  the  Hebrews,  the  roof  under  which 
Mary  dwelt,  during  a visit  so  prolonged, 
must  be  as  sacred  as  the  paternal  roof  it- 
(8) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE. 

self.  Whoever  the  priests  were  on  whom 
devol  red  the  guardianship  of  the  blessed 
daughter  of  St.  Anne,  they  strictly  ac- 
quitted themselves  of  the  obligations  im- 
posed on  them ; and  when  the  Virgin  had 
attained  her  fifteenth  year,  they  thought 
to  unite  her  in  marriage  to  a spouse  wor- 
thy of  her.  This  project  filled  Mary 
with  no  little  anxiety.  Her  lofty,  pure, 
and  contemplative  soul  had  divined  the 
Gospel,  and  virginity  appeared  to  her  to 
be  the  most  perfect,  the  most  holy,  and 
the  most  honorable  state  which  a woman 
could  embrace.  A very  ancient  author, 
cited  by  St.  Gregory  of  Nyssa,  relates 
that  she  refused  for  a long  time,  but  with 
a great  deal  of  modesty,  complying  with 
the  intentions  of  her  guardians,  and  that 
sh  3 supplicated  in  humble  tones  her  family 
to  consent  to  the  life  which  she  was  lead' 
ing  in  the  Temple — a life  innocent,  re 
(0) 


\ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE. 

tired,  and  exempt  from  every  tie,  except 
the  ties  of  the  Lord.  Her  request  caused 
no  little  surprise  among  those  who  had 
the  disposal  of  her  person.  That  which 
she  implored  as  a favor  wras  nothing  less 
than  sterility,  that  is,  opprobrium,  a state 
solemnly  accursed  by  the  law  of  Moses  ; 
a state  of  celibacy  she  made  choice  of, 
that  is,  a total  extinction  of  the  name  of 
her  father,  a thought  little  less  than  im- 
pious among  the  J ews,  who  considered  it 
a dire  calamity  if  their  name  should  not 
be  perpetuated  in  Israel.  The  vow  of 
virginity,  by  which  she  bound  herself 
to  God,  could  not  be  urged  by  her  as 
a plea,  for  such  could  be  annulled  by 
the  mere  will  of  her  family.  Woman 
at  any  epoch  of  her  life  was  always 
considered  a minor  before  the  establish- 
ment of  that  immortal  code  which  has 
enfranchised  and  placed  the  woman 
(10) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE. 

and  the  slave  on  terms  of  equality  with 
him.” 

The  young*  virgin  had  passed  about 
nine  years  in  the  Temple,  when  J oachim, 
the  patriarch  of  pure  and  simple  life, 
slept  his  last  sleep  to  go  and  repose  for 
ever  in  Abraham’s  bosom. 

St.  Anne  followed  her  spouse  soon 
afterwards  to  the  tomb.  Some  pious 
authors  have  thought  that  at  this  last 
hour,  a revelation  from  on  high  allowed 
the  holy  mother  of  Mary  to  behold  the 
glorious  destinies  to  which  Heaven  called 
her  daughter.  A celestial  joy  illuminated 
her  countenance  as  she  gazed  on  this 
glory ; and  it  was  in  this  state  of  blessed- 
ness that  she  bowed  her  head  and  breathed 
her  latest  sigh. 

St.  Anne  and  St.  Joachim  were  both 
publicly  honored  in  the  Church  during 
the  first  ages  St.  John  Damascene  pro- 
(ii) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE. 

aounced  the  grandest  eulogies  on  their 
virtues ; and  churches  were  built  at  Se- 
plioris,  a town  of  the  tribe  of  Zabulon,  at 
Nazareth,  and  in  other  regions  that  be- 
longed to  their  patrimony.  About  the 
year  550,  the  Emperor,  Justinian  I, 
caused  a church  to  be  built  in  Constan- 
tinople under  the  invocation  of  St.  Anne. 
The  Emperor,  Justinian  II,  founded 
another  in  705.  We  are  informed  that 
the  body  of  the  Saint  was  brought  to 
Constantinople  from  Palestine  in  710, 
and  since  that  period  many  of  the  west- 
ern churches  glory  in  having  obtained 
some  portions  of  her  relics.  The  Clmrch 
will  ever  celebrate  the  maternal  piety  of 
St.  Anne ; and  generation  after  genera- 
tion will  reflect  the  incomparable  glory 
of  the  daughter  on  her  holy  mother. 

Surely  nothing  can  be  more  pleasing 
to  Mary  than  to  venerate  her  holy  mother. 

(12) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE. 


'Hie  Blessed  Virgin  appeared  once  to  a 
pious  servant  of  liers  who  was  wont  to 
repeat  many  prayers  daily  in  her  honor, 
and  above  all  the  Ave  Maria.  The  rea- 
son of  this  condescension  was,  that  she 
might  exhort  him  to  salute  and  pray  to 
St.  Anne,  her  glorious  mother.  The  pious 
servant  replying,  that  he  knew  not  how 
to  pray  to  her,  the  Blessed  Virgin  in- 
structed him  thus  : — u In  reciting  the 
Ave  Maria,  when  you  shall  have  said, 
1 and  llessecl  is  the  fruit  of  tliy  womb  Jesus / 
you  will  add — 1 And  blessed  be  holy  Anne, 
thy  mother,  from  whom  was  taken  thy 
Virginal  and  immaculate  flesh.’  You  will 
then  continue — Holy  Mary  pray  for  us 
sinners  now  and  at  the  hour  of  our 
death.  Amen.” 

Reciting  the  Rosary  in  this  manner, 
we  can  offer  a double  homage  to  the 
ever-glorious  Virgin. 

(13) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANNE. 

PRAYER. 

Oh ! most  holy  mother  of  Mary,  heaven 
and  earth  bless  thee ! God  the  Father 
has  loved  thee  as  the  mother  of  his 
cherished  daughter.  The  W ord  Incarnate 
has  loved  thee  because  thou  art  the  mother 
of  his  mother.  And  the  Holy  Spirit  lias 
loved  thee  because  thou  art  the  mother  of 
his  perfect  spouse.  The  angels  and  the 
elect  honor  thee  as  the  sacred  tree  which 
produced  the  flower  whose  perfume  and 
beauty  charm  them ; and  here  on  earth  the 
sinners  and  the  just  will  always  appeal  to 
thy  powerful  intercession  with  J esus,  the 
divine  Son  of  her  to  whom  thou  gavest 
birth.  Oh ! blessed  mother,  plead  for  us 
with  thy  dearly-loved  daughter,  and  im- 
plore her  to  beseech  Jesus,  the  fruit  of 
her  womb,  for  us,  miserable  sinners,  now 
and  at  the  hour  of  our  death.  Amen. 

(14) 


THE  LIFE 

OP 

SAINT  URSULA, 

VIRGIN  AND  MARTYR. 

All  that  we  know  of  the  history  of  this 
illustrious  servant  of  God,  must  he  told  in 
a few  words.  God  has  not  been  pleased 
to  reveal  her  numberless  virtues  to  the 
world.  The  river’s  source  is  often  hidden 
from  the  sight  in  the  depths  of  deserts, 
but  when  it  abandons  its  mysterious  re- 
treat, it  swells  into  a mighty  flood, 
fertilizing  with  its  waters  every  region 
through  which  it  sweeps. 

In  fact  it  was  under  the  blessed 
patronage  of  this  Saint  that  so  many 
(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA. 

countless  communities,  known  by  the 
appellation  of  Ursulines,  have  sprung  up. 
The  grand  object  they  proposed  to  them- 
selves, as  we  have  already  said,  being  the 

education  ot  the  vouth  of  their  own  sex. 
•/ 

Oh,  who  can  describe  the  vast  amount  of 
good  that  they  have  done  to  religion  and 
to  society ! 

About  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century, 
when  so  many  ancient  families  were  com- 
pelled to  fly  from  Great  Britain,  on  account 
of  the  ravages  of  the  Saxons,  St.  Ursula 
left  that  unhappy  land.  Accompanied 
by  ten  virgins,  she  traversed  France, 
and  determined  to  fix  her  abode  on  the 
banks  of  the  Rhine,  far  from  the  scenes 
where  war  and  spoliation  were  raging. 

All  that  we  know  of  those  holy  virgins 
is,  that  the  Huns,  a barbarous  tribe,  in- 
vaded the  regions  in  which  they  had 
taken  refuge,  and  that  the  holy  virgins 
(4) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA 


preferred  death,  in  its  most  terrible  forms, 
to  the  loss  of  their  purity. 

Their  martyrdom  took  place,  as  is 
commonly  thought,  in  the  year  453. 
They  were  put  to  death  on  the  banks  of 
the  Khine,  and  were  buried  at  Cologne. 
According  to  the  practice  of  these  times, 
a church  was  erected  over  their  tombs, 
and  this  church  was  very  celebrated  in  643, 
when  St.  Cunibert  was  elected  Archbishop 
of  Cologne.  It  is  related  in  the  life  of 
St.  Annon,  Archbishop  of  that  city,  in 
the  eleventh  century,  that  he  had  a pecu- 
liar devotion  for  those  holy  virgins,  and 
that  he  frequently  passed  whole  nights 
praying  at  their  tombs,  where  so  many 
miracles  had  been  wrought. 

The  inscription  on  the  tombs  of  those 
martyrs  has  given  rise  to  much  discus- 
sion. It  is  simply  : — u XI.  M.  V.” 
Some  have  interpreted  it  as  meaning, 
(5) 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA. 

Eleven  thousand  Virgins ; but  we  are 
disposed  to  think  that  it  is  an  abbreviated 
form  to  express  simply,  u The  Eleven 
Virgin  Martyrs.”  However  that  may  be, 
the  Koman  Martyrolgy  contents  itself 
with  naming  St.  Ursula  u and  her  com- 
panions,” the  number  of  whom  we  can- 
not ascertain  with  mathematical  certainty. 

’he  more  probable  opinion  is  that  they 
were  eleven,  including  St.  Ursula,  who 
conducted  them  to  the  martyr’s  palm. 

Saint  Ursula  has  been  regarded  as  a 
model  for  the  pious  women  who  apply 
themselves  to  educating  Christian  youth. 
She  is  the  patroness  of  the  Church  of  the 
Sorbonne  at  Paris. 

The  Church  of  Christ,  the  pillar  and 
die  ground  of  Truth,  has  always  given 
special  veneration  to  the  Holy  Martyrs 
who  died  for  them  faith.  This  veneration 

is  most  properly  extended  to  the  relics  ol 
(6) 


f 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA. 


tlie  Saints,  which  the  Church  has  always 
honored ; for  indeed  the  bodies  of  the 
Saints  may  be  regarded  as  victims 
offered  to  God,  either  by  martyrdom  or 
by  penitential  works. 

Those  who  in  these  later  days  censure 
us  for  these  holy  practices,  derive  their 
origin  and  errors  from  heresiarchs  who 
were  excommunicated  by  the  primitive 
Church,  such  as  Vigilantius  and  Euno- 
mius,  against  whom  St.  Jerome  wrote  so 
eloquently.  “ Who,  oh  thou  madman  !” 
says  St.  Jerome,  addressing  Vigilantius, 
“ has  ever  adored  the  Martyrs  ? Did 
not  Paul  and  Barnabas,  when  the  Lycao- 
nians  took  them  to  be  Jupiter  and  Mer- 
cury, and  were  about  to  offer  victims  to 
them — did  they  not  rend  their  garments, 
saying,  that  they  were  men  ? Do  we  not 
read  the  same  of  Peter,  who  made  Corne- 
lius, when  he  was  about  to  adore  him, 
(?) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  UKSULA. 


Btand  up,  saying,  1 Arise,  I myself  also 
am  a man/  I tell  tliee  that  we  do  not 
adore  the  relics  of  the  Martyrs,  nor  the 
angels,  nor  the  archangels,  for  this  would 
he  a serving  of  the  creature  rather  than 
the  Creator,  who  is  blessed  for  evermore. 
But  we  honor  the  relics  of  the  Martyrs, 
that  we  may  adore  Him  whose  Martyrs 
they  are.  We  honor  the  servants  that 
the  honor  given  to  the  servants  may  re- 
dound to  the  Lord  who  says,  1 Whoso- 
ever receiveth  you,  receiveth  me.’  This 
inebriated  Vigilantius  blasphemes  be- 
cause the  relics  of  the  holy  Martyrs  are 
covered  with  precious  coverings  ? — 
He  blasphemes  because  they  are  not 
flung  out  into  the  dungheaps ! Oh, 
wretched  man,  who,  while  saying  those 
things,  does  not  perceive  that  he  is  a 
Samaritan  or  a Jew,  who  regard  the 
bodies  of  the  dead  as  unclean  things,  thus 
(8) 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA. 

following  the  letter  that  killeth,  and  not 
the  spirit  that  vivifies.  If  the  bones  of  the 
dead  pollute  whatever  touches  them,  how 
h appened  it  that  the  dead  body  of  Eliseus 
resuscitated  a dead  man?  Were  the 
people  of  God  (the  Jews)  unclean  be- 
cause they  carried  the  bodies  of  J oseph 
and  the  patriarchs  to  the  Holy  Land  ? 
Was  Joseph,  a precursor  and  type  of 
Christ  himself,  unclean  because  he  was 
so  solicitous  about  bringing  Jacob’s 
bones  to  Hebron?  Was  the  body  of 
Moses  unclean — that  body  which  was 
buried  by  the  Lord  himself  ? ‘ So  Moses 

died  in  the  land  of  Moab.’  (Gen.  xxxiv.) 
How  came  it  to  pass  that  the  Apostles 
should  so  celebrate  the  obsequies  of 
Stephen  and  so  honor  his  body  ? Why 
did  they  bewail  him?  Was  it  not 
that  their  grief  might  be  turned  into  a 
source  of  joy  for  us?  Oh,  that  bias- 
es) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA. 

pliemous  tongue  of  thine  should  be  cut  out 
by  the  surgeon’s  knife  ! I cannot  listen 
patiently  to  such  sacrilege.  I have  read 
of  Elisha’s  austerity,  of  Peter’s  severity 
when  Ananias  and  Sapphira  were  struck 
dead,  of  the  inflexibility  of  Paul,  when  he 
doomed  Elymas,  the  magician,  to  ever- 
lasting blindness,  for  resisting  the  ways  of 
the  Lord.  Piety  to  God  is  not  cruelty. 

u If  the  relics  of  the  martyrs  are  not 
worthy  of  being  honored,  how  comes  it 
that  we  read,  1 precious  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord  is  the  death  of  His  Saints  f ’ There- 
fore, as  often  as  we  enter  the  churches 
of  the  Apostles  and  Martyrs,  are  we  to  be 
said  to  venerate  the  temples  of  idols  ? 
Are  the  lighted  candles  burning  before 
' their  shrines  to  be  regarded  as  signs  of 
idolatry  ? Hid  the  emperor  Constan- 
tine act  sacrilegiously  when  he  trans- 
lated the  sacred  relics  of  Andrew,  Luke, 
ao) 

— T 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA. 

l.  d Timothy  to  Constantinople  ? What 
w:  U you  say  of  Augustus  Arcadius,  who 
translated  the  hones  of  the  blessed  Samuel 
from  Judea  to  Thrace  ? Are  we  to  accuse 
all  the  bishops  of  sacrilege  and  folly,  nay, 
and  all  the  people  of  superstition,  because 
they  have  covered  the  martyrs’ ' relics 
with  precious  silks  and  deposited  them  in 
golden  vessels  ? Are  we  to  condemn  the 
Roman  Pontiff  who  offers  the  Holy  Sac- 
rifice on  altars  raised  over  the  bodies  of 
Peter  and  Paul — bodies  that  we  deem 
worthy  of  veneration,  while  you  regard 
them  as  heaps  of  worthless  ashes  ? But 
you  are  an  enemy  to  the  Church ; you 
belong  to  these  who  make  war  on  the 
blood  of  the  martyrs — you  are  of  the 
orators  who  thunder  against  the  Apostles 
— yea,  you  belong  to  the  kennel  of  rabid 
dogs  that  never  cease  to  bark  at  the  dis- 
ciples of  Christ.” 

(11) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA. 


“I  honor,”  says  St.  Ambrose,  “the 
wounds  which  the  martyrs  received  for 
the  sake  of  Christ.  To  confess  Christ,  I 
honor  then'  sacred  ashes  : in  these  ashes 
I honor  the  seeds  of  eternity : I honor 
the  body  which  has  taught  me  to  love 
the  Lord,  the  body  which  has  taught  me 
not  to  fear  death  for  the  sake  of  Christ. 
Why  should  not  the  faithful  honor  that 
body  which  the  very  devils  reverence  ? 
I therefore  honor  the  body  that  honored 
Christ  under  the  sword,  the  body  that 
shall  reign  with  Christ  in  heaven.” 

Let  us  now  hear  the  great  St.  Augustine 
explaining  Catholic  doctrine  on  this  sub- 
ject. “What  priest,  celebrating  at  the 
altar  erected  over  the  bodies  of  the 
martyrs,  has  ever  been  heard  to  say, 
1 we  offer  (sacrifices)  to  thee,  Peter,  or 
Paul,  or  Cyprian  1 ’ That  which  is 
offered  is  offered  to  God,  who  has 
(12) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA. 


crowned  tlie  martyrs,  and  on  altars  built 
over  their  relics  (called  Memorials)  in 
order  that  being  near  the  spot  where 
they  are  laid,  our  love  may  be  awakened 
for  them  whom  we  are  to  imitate,  and 
for  him  who  can  aid  us,  to  follow  theii 
example.  We,  therefore,  worship  the 
martyrs  with  that  love  which  we  give  to 
holy  men  in  the  flesh,  whose  hearts,  we 
know,  are  prepared  to  suffer  all  manner 
of  torments  for  evangelical  truth.  But 
we  worship  the  martyrs  still  more 
devoutly  and  sincerely,  since  we  know 
that  they  have  won  the  victory.  They 
now  reign  triumphant  as  vanquishers  in 
the  better  life,  and  we,  therefore,  more 
assuredly  chant  their  praises  than  while 
they  were  fighing  the  battle  here  below 
But  we  give  to  God  alone  that  worship, 
called  in  Greek  Latvia — to  wit,  the  wor- 
ship that  is  due  to  the  Divinity,  that 

(13) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  UIISULA. 


worship  which  is  due  to  God  alone.  But 
as  the  offering  of  sacrifice  constitutes 
this  species  of  worship,  those  who  ex 
hibit  such  to  idols  are,  on  that  account 
termed  abaters ; but  we  do  not  offer  nor 
command  sacrifice  to  be  offered  to  any 
martyr.  And,  whosoever  falls  into  this 
error,  is  corrected  by  sound  doctrine, 
either  to  be  admonished  or  condemned.” 

In  his  book  on  the  City  of  God,  the 
holy  doctor  writes  thus : “We  do  not 
erect  temples  to  our  martyrs  as  though 
they  were  gods,  but  we  erect  memorials 
to  them  as  to  men  who  are  dead,  but 
whose  souls  reign  with  God.  Nor  do  we 
therein  erect  altars,  on  which  we  offer 
sacrifice  to  the  martyrs  ; but  we  immolate 
the  sacrifice  to  the  one  God,  who  is  our 
God,  and  the  God  of  the  martyrs.  In 
this  sacrifice  we  commemorate,  according 

to  time  and  order,  these  men  of  God, 
(14) 


\ — 


s 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA, 

who,  by  their  death  (or  confession)  have 
conquered  the  world ; but  the  priest  sacri- 
' fices  to  God,  and  not  to  them,  for  he  is 
God’s  priest,  not  their  priest,  although 
they  be  commemorated  in  the  sacrifice.” 

With  another  extract  from  St.  Jerome’s 
book  against  Vigilantius,  we  will  close 
this  subject:  “Wilt  thou  give  laws  to 
God  ? Wilt  thou  bind  the  Apostles  with 
chains  ? Wilt  thou  not  leave  them  with 
the  Lord,  since  it  is  written  of  them, 
1 they  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he 
goethT  If  the  Lamb  be  everywhere, 
therefore  we  must  believe  that  they  are 
everywhere  with  Him.  The  devil  and 
the  demons  career  through  the  whole 
world  with  indescribable  velocity.  Must 
the  martyrs  after  the  effusion  of  their 
blood,  lie  entombed  in  their  shrines,  and 
never  go  out  thence  ? If  the  apostles  and 
martyrs  while  still  in  the  flesh  could  pray 
(15) 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  URSULA. 


for  others,  how.  much  more  power  must 
they  have  now  that  they  have  won  crowns 
and  victories  ? Moses  in  one  day  obtained 
pardon  for  six  hundred  thousand  armed 
men  (. Exod.,  xxxii);  and  Stephen,  an  imita- 
tor of  liis  Lord,  and  His  first  martyr,  pray- 
ed for  pardon  for  his  persecutors  (Act$y 
vii,) — and  now  that  they  are  with  Christ, 
do  they  possess  less  power  ? Paul  tells  us 
that  he  saved,  by  his  prayers,  two  hundred 
and  seventy-six  men  wdio  sailed  in  the 
ship  with  him  (Acts,  xxvii)  But  now  that 
he  is  dissolved,  and  with  Christ,  must  he 
be  dumb,  and  must  he  not  offer  a single 
petition  in  favor  of  those  who  believe  in 
his  preaching  ? In  a word,  is  the  living  dog 
(the  heretic  Vigilantius)  letter  than  that 
dead  lion  (Paul)  ? — (Eccles.,  ix.) 


(IS) 


THE  LIFE 


OF 

SAINT  WENEFRIDE, 

VIRGIN  AND  MARTYR. 


HER  father,  whose  name  was  Thevith, 
ft  as  very  rich,  and  one  of  the  prime 
nobility  in  Wales,  being  son  to  Eluith, 
the  chief  magistrate,  and  second  man  in 
the  kingdom  of  North  Wales,  next  to  the 
king.  Her  virtuous  parents  desired 
above  all  things  to  bring  her  up  in  the 
fear  of  God,  and  to  preserve  her  soul 
untainted  amidst  the  corrupt  air  of  the 
world.  About  that  time  St.  Benno,  a 
holy  priest  and  monk,  who  is  said  to 
have  been  maternal  uncle  to  our  Saint, 
(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFEIDE. 


1 laving  founded  certain  religious  houses 
in  other  places,  came  and  settled  in  that 
neighborhood.  Thevith  rejoiced  at  lus 
arrival,  gave  him  a spot  of  ground  free 
from  all  burden  or  tribute  to  build  a 
church  on,  and  recommended  his  daugh- 
ter to  be  instructed  by  him  in  Christian 
piety.  When  the  holy  priest  preached 
to  the  people,  Wenefride  was  placed  at 
his  feet,  and  her  tender  soul  eagerly  im- 
bibed Ills  heavenly  doctrine,  and  was 
wonderfully  affected  with  the  great  truths 
which  he  delivered,  or  rather  which  God 
addressed  to  her  by  his  mouth.  The 
love  of  the  sovereign  and  infinite  good 
growing  daily  in  her  heart,  her  affections 
were  quite  weaned  from  all  things  of 
this  world : and  it  was  her  earnest  desire 
j to  consecrate  her  virginity  by  vow  to 
j God,  and,  instead  of  an  earthly  bride- 
| groom,  to  choose  Jesus  Christ  for  her 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFRIDE. 


spouse.  Her  parents  readily  gave  tlieir 
consent,  shedding  tears  of  joy,  and  thank 
ing  God  for  her  holy  resolution.  She 
first  made  a private  vow  of  virginity  in 
the  hands  of  St.  Benno,  and  some  time 
after  received  the  religious  veil  from  him, 
with  certain  other  pious  virgins,  in  whose 
company  she  served  God  in  a small 
nunnery  which  her  father  had  built  for 
her,  under  the  direction  of  St.  Benno, 
near  Holy- Well.  After  this  St.  Benno 
returned  to  the  first  monastery  which  he 
had  built  at  Clunnock  or  Clynog  Vaur, 
about  forty  miles  distant,  and  there  soon 
after  slept  in  our  Lord.  His  tomb  was 
famous  there  in  the  thirteenth  century. 
St.  Benno  founded  Clunnock  Yaur,  a 
monastery  of  white  monks,  in  a place 
given  him  by  Guithin,  uncle  to  one  of 
the  princes  of  North  Wales.  His  name 
occurs  in  the  English  Martyrology. 

(5) 


» 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFRIDE. 

After  tlie  death  of  St.  Benno,  St. 
Wenefride  left  Holy- Well,  and  after  put- 
ting herself  for  a short  time  under  the 
direction  of  St.  Deifer,  entered  the  nun- 
nery of  Gutherin  in  Denbighshire,  under 
the  direction  of  a very  holy  abbot  called 
Elerius,  who  governed  there  a double 
monastery.  After  the  death  of  the  ab- 
bess Theonia,  St.  W enefride  was  chosen 
to  succeed  her.  Leland  speaks  of  St. 
Elerius  as  follows  : “ Elerius  was  an- 
ciently, and  is  at  present,  in  esteem 
among  the  Welsh.  I guess  that  he 
studied  at  the  banks  of  the  Elivi  where  now 
St.  Asaph’s  stands.  He  afterwards  re- 
tired into  the  deserts.  It  is  most  certain 
that  he  built  a monastery  in  the  vale  of 
Cluide,  which  was  double,  and  very 
numerous  of  both  sexes.  Amongst  these 
was  the  most  noble  virgin  Guenvrede, 
who  had  been  educated  by  Benno,  and 
(6) 


x 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFRIDE. 


vriio  suffered  death,  having  her  head  cut 
off  by  the  furious  Caradoc.” 

She  is  said  to  have  been  raised  to  life 
by  the  prayers  of  St.  Benno.  In  all 
monuments  and  calendars  she  is  styled  a 
martyr;  all  the  accounts  we  have  of  her 
agree  that  Caradoc  or  Cradoc,  son  of 
Alain,  prince  of  that  country,  having 
violently  fallen  in  love  with  her,  gave 
way  so  far  to  his  passion,  that  finding  it 
impossible  to  extort  her  consent  to  marry 
him,  in  his  rage  he  one  day  pursued  her, 
and  cut  off  her  head,  as  she  was  .flying 
from  him  to  take  refuge  in  the  church 
which  St.  Benno  had  built  at  Holy- Well. 
Others  add,  that  Cradoc  was  swallowed 
up  by  the  earth  upon  the  spot;  secondly,  N 
that  in  the  place  where  the  head  fell, 
the  wonderful  well  which  is  seen  there 
sprang  up,  with  pebble  stones  and  large 
parts  of  the  rock  in  the  bottom  stained 
(7) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WLNEFRIDE. 


with  red  streaks,  and  with  moss  growing 
on  the  sides  under  the  water,  which  ren- 
ders a sweet  fragrant  smell ; and  thirdly, 
that  the  martyr  was  raised  to  life  by  the 
prayers  of  St.  Benno,  and  bore  ever  after 
a mark  of  her  martyrdom,  by  a red 
circle  on  her  skin  about  her  neck. 

At  St.  Wenefride’s  well,  commonly 
called  Holy-Well,  such  vast  quantities  of 
water  spring  constantly  without  inter- 
mission or  variation,  that  above  twenty- 
six  tuns  are  raised  every  minute,  for, 
if  the  water  be  let  out  of  them,  the 
basin  and  well,  which  contain  at  least 
two  hundred  and  forty  tuns,  are  filled  in 
less  than  ten  minutes.  The  water  is  so 
clear  that  though  the  basin  is  above  four 
feet  deep,  a pin  is  easily  perceived  lying 
at  the  bottom.  The  spring  head  is  a fine 
octagon  basin,  twenty-nine  feet  two  inches 
in  length,  twenty-seven  feet  four  inches 
(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFRIDE. 


in  breadth,  and  eighteen  feet  two  inches 
liigh,  and  is  covered  with  a chapel.  The 
present  exquisite  Gothic  building  was 
erected  by  Henry  VII,  and  his  mother, 
the  Countess  of  Richmond  and  Derby. 
The  ceiling  is  curiously  carved,  and 
ornamented  with  coats  of  arms,  and  the 
figures  of  Henry  VII,  his  mother,  and 
the  Earl  of  Derby.  Those  who  desire  to 
bathe  descend  by  twenty  steps  into  the 
area  under  the  chapel;  but  no  one  can 
bathe  there  in  the  spring  head,  the  im- 
petuosity with  which  the  water  springs 
up,  making  it  too  difficult:  hence  the 
bathers  descend  by  two  circular  staircases 
under  a larger  arch  into  the  bath,  which 
is  a great  basin  forty-two  feet  long,  four- 
teen feet  seven  inches  broad,  with  a hand* 
some  flagged  walk  round. 

Nor  will  any  one  deny  that  there  are 
gveat  natural  qualities  in  many  of  those 
(9) 


i 

j 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFEIDE. 

Holy-Wells.  Nevertheless,  in  the  use  ol 
natural  remedies,  we  ought  by  prayer 
always  to  have  recourse  to  God,  the  Al- 
niglity  physician.  And  it  is  undoubted 
that  God  is  pleased  often  to  display  also 
a miraculous  power  in  certain  places  of 
public  devotion,  and  where  the  relics 
and  other  pledges  of  saints  or  holy  things 
render  him  more  propitious,  as  in  the  Pro- 
bation pond,  John , v.  2,  &c.  Thus  St. 
Augustine,  ordering  his  clergy  at  Plippo 
to  send  a priest  named  Boniface,  to  pray 
in  a certain  church  celebrated  for  holy 
relics,  said : “ God  who  created  all  things 
is  in  all  places,  and  is  every  where  to  be 
adored  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  But  who 
can  explore  the  holy  order  of  his  provid- 
ence, in  dispensing  his  gifts,  why  these 
miracles  should  be  done  in  some  places 
and  not  in  others  ? The  sanctity  of  the 

place  where  the  body  of  the  blessed  Felix 
(10) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFRIDE. 


of  Nola  is  buried,  is  well  known.  And 
we  ourselves  know  the  like  at  Milan.  All 
the  saints  have  not  the  gift  of  healing  nor 
the  discernment  of  spirits;  so  neither 
does  it  please  him  who  distributes  his  gifts 
according  to  his  holy  will,  that  such 
things  be  performed  in  all  the  memorials 
or  chapels  of  the  saints.”  Perhaps  no 
pilgrimage  in  the  North  was  for  some 
ages  more  famous  than  that  of  Holy- 
Well,  where  the  divine  mercy  was  im- 
plored through  the  intercession  of  her 
who  in  that  place  had  glorified  His  name 
and  sanctified  her  soul.  Many  cures  of 
corporal  distempers,  there  wrought,  are 
proved  by  several  circumstances  to  have 
been  miraculous.  Some  of  them  were  per- 
formed through  the  devotion  of  persons  at  a 
distance  from  the  place,  mentioned  in  the 
life  of  this  saint;  and  such  as  certainly  can- 
not have  been  produced  by  imagination, 
(Ji) 


THE  LIFE . OF  ST.  WENEFRIDE. 


If  these  authors,  who  lived  a long  time 
after  the  days  of  Saint  Wenefride,  were 
by  some  of  their  guides  led  into  any 
mistakes  in  any  of  these  circumstances, 
neither  the  sanctity  of  the  martyr  nor  the 
devotion  of  the  place  can  be  thereby  made 
liable  to  censure.  St.  Wenefride  died  on 
the  22d  of  June,  as  the  old  panegyric 
preached  on  her  festival,  and  several  of 
her  lives,  testify : the  most  ancient  life  of 
this  Saint  places  her  death,  or  rather  her 
burial,  at  Guthurin  on  the  24th  of  June. 
The  words  are : “ The  place  where  she 
lived  writh  the  holy  virgins  was  called 
Guthurin,  where  sleeping,  on  the  eighth 
before  the  calends  of  July,  she  was  buried, 
and  rests  in  the  Lord.”  Her  festival  was 
removed  to  the  3d  of  November,  proba- 
bly on  account  of  some  translation ; 
and  in  1391,  Thomas  Arundel,  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  with  his  clergy  in  convo- 
(12) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST  VVENEFEIDE. 


cation  assembled,  ordered  her  festival  to 
be  kept  on  that  day  throughout  his  pro- 
vince with  an  office  of  nine  lessons,  which 
is  inserted  in  the  Saurum  Breviary.  The 
time  when  this  Saint  lived  is  not  mentioned 
in  any  of  her  lives ; most,  with  Alford 
and  Cressy,  think  it  was  about  the  close 
of  the  seventh  century.  Her  relics  were 
translated  from  G uthurin  to  Shrews- 
bury in  the  year  1138,  and  deposited 
with  great  honor  in  the  Church  of  the 
Benedictine  Abbey  which  had  been 
founded  there  without  the  walls,  in  1083, 
by  Roger  Earl  of  Montgomery.  Herbert, 
abbot  of  that  house,  procured  the  consent 
of  the  diocesan,  the  Bishop  of  Bangor, 
and  caused  the  translation  to  be  performed 
with  great  solemnity,  as  is  related  by  Ro- 
bert, then  prior  of  that  house,  who  mentions 
some  miraculous  cures  performed  on  that 
occasion  to  which  he  was  eye-witness. 

(13) 


TILE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFKJDE. 

The  shrine  of  this  Saint  was  plundered  at 
the  dissolution  of  monasteries. 

Several  miracles  were  wrought  through 
the  intercession  of  this  Saint  at  Guthurin, 
Shrewsbury,  and  especially  at  Holy-WelL 
To  instance  some  examples : Sir  Roger 
Bodenham,  Knight  of  the  Bath,  after  he 
was  abandoned  by  the  ablest  physicians 
and  the  most  famous  colleges  of  that 
faculty,  was  cured  of  a terrible  leprosy 
by  bathing  in  this  miraculous  fountain  in 
1606;  upon  which  he  became  himself  a 
Catholic,  and  gave  an  ample  certificate  of 
his  wonderful  cure  signed  by  many  others. 
Mrs.  Jane  Wakeman  of  Sussex,  in  1630, 
brought  to  the  last  extremity  by  a terrible 
ulcerated  breast,  was  perfectly  healed  in 
one  night  by  bathing  thrice  in  that  well, 
as  she  and  her  husband  attested.  A poor 
widow  of  Kidderminster,  in  Worcester- 
shire, had  been  long  lame  and  bed-ridden, 
"(14) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST..  WENEFKIDE. 

when  she  sent  a single  penny  to  Holy* 
Well  to  be  given  to  the  first  poor  body 
the  person  should  meet  with  there  ; and 
3 1 the  very  time  it  was  given  at  Holy- 
W ell,  the  patient  arose  in  perfect  health 
at  Kidderminster.  This  fact  was  ex- 
amined and  juridically  attested  by  Mr. 
James  Bridges,  who  was  afterwards  SheriS 
of  Worcester,  in  1651.  Mrs.  Mary  New- 
man had  been  reduced  to  a skeleton,  and 
to  such  a decrepit  state  and  lameness, 
that  for  eighteen  years  she  had  not  been 
able  to  point  or  set  her  foot  on  the  ground. 
She  tried  all  helps  in  England,  France, 
and  Portugal,  but  in  vain.  At  last  she 
was  perfectly  cured  in  the  very  well 
whilst  she  was  bathing  herself  the  fifth 
time.  Roger  Wherstone,  a Quaker  neai 
Bromsgrove,  by  bathing  at  Holy- Well 
was  cured  of  an  inveterate  lameness  and 
palsy ; by  which  he  was  converted  to  the 
(15) 


THE.  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFK1DE. 

Catholic  faitli.  Innumerable  such  instances 
might  be  collected.  Cardinal  Baronins 
expresses  his  astonishment  at  the  wonderful 
cures  which  the  pious  Bishop  of  St.  Asaph’s, 
the  pope’s  vicegerent  for  the  episcopal 
functions  at  Borne,  related  to  him  as  an 
eye-witness.  Coming  down  nearer  our 
own  times,  we  will  here  insert  an  account 
of  another  miraculous  cure,  attested  by 
the  Bight  Bev.  Dr.  Milner,  Bishop  of 
Castaballa  and  Vicar  Apostolic  of  the  Mid- 
land District,  who  entered  into  a regular 
and  detailed  investigation  of  the  matter, 
and  published  the  result  of  his  inquiries, 
together  with  the  authentic  documents  ho 
obtained  from  the  professional  gentleman 
who  attended  the  young  woman,  as  to 
the  state  of  her  disorder,  and  from  those 
who  witnessed  the  suddenness  and  efficacy 
ot  tne  cure.  For  the  satisfaction  of  the 
reader,  we  give  the  following  relation  of 
(16) 


THE  LIFE  OF  .ST.  WENEFRIDE. 

tills  surprising  instance  of  tlie  goodness 
of  God  towards  those  afflicted  but  humble 
mortals,  who  place  their  confidence  in 
him,  and  beg  the  supplications  of  his  holy 
saints,  who  have  especially  devoted  their 
lives  to  his  service  : — 

“ Wenefride  White  (says  the  venerable 
prelate) , being  interrogated  by  me  concern- 
ing her  late  disorder,  and  the  cure  of  it, 
solemnly  declares  on  her  word,  and  is 
willing,  if  necessary,  to  confirm  by  her 
oath,  that  she  had  been  for  several  years 
in  a very  infirm  state  of  health  ; but  that 
for  the  last  three  years  and  more,  previous 
to  her  going  to  Holy-Well,  she  had  been 
utterly  incapable  of  doing  her  work  as  a 
servant.  She  says,  the  first  signal  effect 
of  her  disorder  was  a violent  pain  in  her 
left  side,  which  afterwards  extended  it- 
self to  the  left  hip,  and  to  the  back-bone. 
She  describes  the  said  hip  and  the  left  leg, 
(17) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFRIDE. 


ing  to  fall  out  of  its  place  in  con* 
sequence  of  the  stretching  of  the  sinews 
belonging  to  it ; so  that  when  she  attempted 
to  move,  she  was  forced  to  drag  the  leg 
after  her.  She  says  that  the  back-bone 
was  frequently  swelled,  particularly  in 
the  upper  and  lower  parts  of  it,  to  relieve 
which,  sometimes  blisters,  and  at  other 
times  poultices,  were  applied.  These  oc- 
casioned a great  discharge  of  matter,  as 
did  also  two  issues  which  were  made  in 
her  back,  one  on  each  side  of  the  bone, 
and  kept  open  for  several  months.  She 
says,  the  pain  in  the  back-bone,  and  thence 
up  to  her  head,  was  most  violent ; and 
during  the  last  year  and  a half  of  her 
malady,  uninterrupted  ; so  that  she  was 
under  the  greatest  apprehension  of  losing 
her  senses,  and  frequently  prayed  to  God 
that  this  misfortune  might  not  befal  her. 
Sometimes  when  she  was  a little  better, 
(18) 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFEIDE. 

bIio  could  walk  with  the  help  of  a stick, 
or  even  for  a short  time  without  one  ; but 
she  was  never  free  from  the  violent  pain 
and  weakness  above  described.  At  other 
times  she  was  unable  to  move  herself  at 
all,  and  was  accordingly  carried  to  and 
from  bed,  like  a new-born  infant.  Once 
she  continued  in  this  state  of  universal 
debility  for  six  weeks  together  ; still  the 
principal  seat  of  her  pain,  she  says,  was 
the  back-bone  and  the  left  side.  After 
recovering  a little  from  the  last-mentioned 
severe  fit,  she  began  to  use  a crutch,  with 
which  she  supported  herself,  and  dragged 
on  her  left  leg,  using  it  under  the  corre- 
sponding arm.  But  this  arm  soon  failing 
and  becoming  too  weak  to  hold  a ciutch, 
and  sometimes  even  a handkerchief,  or  to 
be  raised  by  her  to  her  head,  she  was 
forced  to  hobble  on  (when  she  could 

move  herself  at  all  ) with  the  crutch 
(19) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFRIDE. 

under  her  right  arm,  and  thus  drag  on 
her  whole  left  side  as  if  it  had  been 
dead. 

“ In  this  helpless  and  hopeless  situation, 
having  frequently  heard  Dr.  Underhill  and 
Mr.  Stubbs  declare  that  medicines  could 
do  her  no  good,  and  that  her  disorder  was 
incurable,  she  thought  of  applying  to 
Almighty  God  for  supernatural  relief,  as 
she  had  read  and  heard  of  many  miraculous 
cures,  that  had  been  performed  by  his 
power  and  goodness,  at  Holy- Well  in 
Flintshire,  through  the  prayers  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary  and  St.  Wenefride, 
and  she  felt  a strong  inclination  to  get 
herself  conveyed  thither.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  being  apprehensive  of  getting 
rid  of  a cross  which  might  be  intended  for 
her  sanctification  and  salvation,  she  says 
she  determined  not  to  do,  nor  even  to 
wish  for  anything  regarding  this  matter, 
(20) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFItIDE. 


but.  in  conformity  with  the  advice  of  her 
spiritual  director.  She  therefore  first 
applied  for  counsel  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Walsh, 
and  afterwards,  at  his  desire,  to  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Blount  who  having  inquired  into  the 
motive  that  induced  her  to  wish  for  a cure 
for  her  malady,  approved  of  them,  and 
consented  to  her  undertaking  the  journey. 
She  therefore  setoff  from  Wolverhampton, 
as  soon  afterwards  as  she  could  get  her- 
self ready,  with  an  humble  confidence 
that  God  was  both  able  and  willing  to 
work  a miracle  in  her  behalf,  as  well  as 
He  had  done  in  favor  of  so  many  others. 
This  confidence,  she  says,  she  expressed 
to  some  of  her  friends  before  she  set  off. 
She  left  Wolverhampton  on  the  25  th  of 
June,  by  the  stage  coach,  and  reached 
Chester  on  the  evening  of  the  26  th,  whence 
she  got  a conveyance,  the  same  night,  by 

a returned  post  chaise,  belonging  to  Mr. 

(21) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFBIDE. 


Price,  of  tlie  White  Horse,  to  Holy- Well, 
where  she  arrived  very  early  the  ensuing 
morning.  She  said  she  suffered  extremely 
during  the  journey,  and  upon  her  arrival 
at  Holy-Well ; so  that  she  began  to  appre- 
hend the  fears  which  her  mistress  had 
expressed  of  her  not  returning  home  alive, 
would  prove  to  be  true. 

“ The  next  morning,  the  28th  of  June, 
about  seven  o’clock,  having  performed 
those  daily  acts  of  devotion  which  she 
had  continued  ever  since  she  had  resolved 
to  visit  Holy-Well,  at  the  house  where 
she  lodged  in  Well  street,  kept  by  Mrs. 
Humphreys,  she  crawled  down,  with  great 
difficulty,  to  what  is  called  St.  Wenefride’s 
Well,  in  company  with  a Mrs.  Midgliall 
and  the  two  Mrs.  Promleys,  ladies  who  had 
arrived  from  Liverpool  at  Holy- Well  the 
same  day  that  she  did.  One  of  the  latter, 
she  says,  was  so  charitable  as  to  assist 
(22) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFEIDE. 

her  in  bathing.  She  describes  the  effect 
of  the  water,  upon  her  being  immersed 
into  it,  as  so  much  surprising  and  over- 
powering her,  that  she  was  unable  to 
recollect  herself  or  attend  to  the  state  of 
her  health,  till  she  began  to  change  her 
bathing  dress  in  an  adjoining  cabin, 
belonging  to  a Mrs.  Needham,  who  attends 
at  the  well,  when  she  found  herself  able 
to  stand  upon  her  left  leg  as  fixm  as  upon 
her  right  leg,  and  that  the  excruciating 
pains  at  her  back,  and  her  other  pains  and 
maladies,  had  quite  left  her : in  a word, 
that  she  was  in  every  respect  perfectly 
well.  She  says,  that  remaining  a fortnight 
longer  at  Holy-Well,  she  bathed  two  or 
three  times  more,  in  compliance  with 
custom,  and  to  satisfy  the  importunity  of 
her  friends,  but  without  any  sensible 
benefit  to  her  health,  as  in  fact,  she  was 

perfectly  cured  at  her  first  bathing,  and 
(23) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFRIDE. 


enabled  to  walk,  run,  or  work,  as  well  as 
ever.  From  Holy- Well  she  went  to 
Puddington,  in  Cheshire,  where  she  had 
acquaintance,  and  from  thence  to  Chester, 
where  she  was  detained  several  days  by 
her  friends,  so  that  it  was  about  a month 
from  the  time  of  her  cure  till  her  reach- 
ing home.  She  adds,  that  she  has  never 
had  any  return  of  her  former  disorders, 
pains,  or  weaknesses,  since  the  day  of  her 
cure,  viz.,  the  28th  day  of  June,  1805. 

“ This  declaration  having  been  read 
over  to  the  undersigned,  she  hereby 
testifies  the  truth  of  it.” 

“ Wenefride  White.” 

PRAYER. 

Almighty  and  everlasting  God,  we 
humbly  beseech  Thee  that  blessed  St. 
Wenefride  may  obtain  for  us  such  spiritual 
(84) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WENEFRIDE. 


{ 

I 


and  temporal  benefits  as  are  expedient 
for  Thy  holy  service  and  our  eternal 
sal  ration.  Through  our  Lord  J esus  Christ, 
Thy  Son,  who  with  Thee  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  liveth  and  reign eth  for  ever  one 
God,  world  without  end.  Amen. 


THE  LIFE 


OF 

SAM  MARY  MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZL 


The  family  of  the  Pazzi,  one  of  the  most 
illustrious  of  the  Republic  of  Florence, 
was  allied  to  the  sovereign  house  of  the 
Medici ; but  the  saintly  maiden  of  whom 
we  are  about  to  write,  has  communicated 
to  it  a glory  far  more  precious  than  any 
it  ever  derived  from  a long  race  of  heroes 
and  men,  distinguished  in  every  circum- 
stance of  life. 

By  her  mother,  Mary  Magdalene  sprang 
from  the  family  of  the  Blondelmonti, 
which  was  in  every  respect  as  dis- 
tinguished as  that  of  the  Pazzi. 

She  was  born  in  Florence,  in  the  yeai 
(3) 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARY 


of  our  Lord  1556,  and  at  baptism  re- 
ceived the  name  of  Catherine  in  honor 
of  St.  Catharine  of  Sienna,  tor  whom 
she  always  cherished  the  tenderest  de- 
votion. 

From  the  earliest  dawnings  of  her  rea- 
son, it  was  very  easy  to  predict  the 
exalted  sanctity  to  which  she  was  one 
day  destined  to  attain.  At  the  age  of 
seven  years  such  was  her  love  of  the  poor, 
that  she  deprived  herself  of  food  to  sus- 
tain them.  Even  at  that  tender  age, 
she  knew  that  piety  is  not  true  and  sincere, 
if  it  does  not  produce  and  augment  in  us 
charity  for  our  brethren,  and  mercy  to- 
wards the  poor.  The  abodes  of  misery 
and  pain  appeared  to  her  to  be  so  many 
temples  which  were  not  to  be  approached 
save  with  pious  respect. 

Gladly  would  she  have  passed  whole 
days  at  the  bedside  of  a sick  person,  and 
(4) 


I 

1 


! 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 

great  was  her  joy,  when  she  found  an 
opportunity  of  instructing  the  poor  rude 
peasant  girls.  These  were  to  her  the 
hours  of  sweetest  recreation ; and  when 
she  could  not  satisfy  her  longings  in  this 
regard,  she  retired  to  some  solitary  place 
to  pray,  and  hold  communion  with  her 
God. 

Whenever  her  father  took  her  to  the 
country,  her  greatest  delight  was  to  as- 
semble the  little  girls  of  the  village,  in 
order  to  teach  all  that  she  knew  of  the 
first  elements  of  religion.  In  this  occu- 
pation she  acquitted  herself  with  a sweet- 
ness wholly  angelical,  with  modesty  and 
admirable  patience.  One  day  just  as 
she  had  begun  to  teach  the  catechism  to 
a little  daughter  of  one  of  her  father’s 
tenants,  her  father  came  to  tell  her  that 
she  must  prepare  to  return  to  Florence 
She  was  inconsolable,  and  shed  many 
(5) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARY 


tears,  thinking  that  she  should  he  obliged 
to  suspend  for  a long  time  the  holy  task 
which  she  had  only  commenced.  Her 
father  seeing  no  other  means  of  restoring 
her  to  joy  than  bringing  with  him  the 
farmer’s  child,  consented  that  Catharine 
should  take  her  home  till  she  had  finished 
instructing  her. 

Our  saint  had  barely  completed  her 
tenth  year,  and  even  at  this  tender  age 
prayer  constituted  her  principal  delight. 
These,  indeed,  were  her  happiest  mo- 
ments. She  longed  for  nothing  so  much 
as  a close  and  intimate  union  with  her 
God.  It  was  the  greatest  happiness  of 
this  blessed  child  to  pray  to  God,  to 
evince  her  love  for  Him,  to  implore  Him 
to  increase  it,  and  to  promise  Him  a 
whole  life  of  sacrifices.  Even  in  the  mo 
ments  when  she  did  not  speak  to  God, 
she  felt  herself  constrained  to  speak  of  Him 
(«) 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 


Catharine  was  enamoured  of  morti 
fi  cations  ; the  thought  of  the  Cross,  and 
the  remembrances  of  all  that  Christ  suf- 
fered on  Calvary,  filled  her  with  a holy 
desire  to  love  and  suffer. 

Frequently  was  she  wont  to  abandon 
her  bed  in  the  night-time,  to  lie  down 
on  straw  or  on  the  hard  floor  of  her 
chamber. 

On  one  occasion  she  made  a crown  of 
rushes  interlaced  with  thorns,  and  having 
fastened  it  on  her  head,  she  thus  lay 
down.  One  can  easily  imagine  all  that 
she  suffered  : the  remembrance  of  Jesus 
crowned  with  thorns  induced  her  to  bear 
the  same  sort  of  martyrdom. 

On  St.  Andrew’s  day  whilst  she  was 
at  meditation,  she  was  inflamed  with  a 
desire  so  vehement — a desire  to  suffer  for 
Jesus  Christ,  and  with  Jesus  Christ — that 
she  lost  all  consciousness,  and  remained 
(7) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARY 


for  some  time  without  motion.  Her 
mother  not  knowing  what  had  happened, 
thought  she  was  about  to  die.  The  Saint 
experienced  the  same  condition  when  she 
became  a religious ; and  she  was  heard 
to  say,  when  returning  to  consciousness ; 
“ Lord,  tliis  grace  is  like  that  which  I 
received  in  my  youth,  when  my  mother 
fancied  that  I was  attacked  by  a corporeal 
malady.”  Sack- cloth  and  macerations  of 
the  flesh  were  the  means  of  which  she 
availed  herself  to  copy  the  life  of  Christ 
crucified. 

From  her  earliest  youth  Catharine  had 
most  tender  devotion  for  the  ausrust  Sac- 
rament  of  the  Holy  Eucharist.  The  vi- 
vacity of  her  faith  had  imbued  her 
with  so  ardent  a love  for  this  feast  of 
angels,  that  even  before  she  was  prepared 
to  make  her  first  communion,  she  de- 
lighted to  be  near  those  who  had  had  the 
(8) 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 


happiness  of  receiving  the  Body  and  Blood 
of  the  Lord.  In  this  love  wherewith  she 
was  tilled,  it  appeared  to  her  that  she  re- 
spired the  divine  perfumes  which  are 
exhaled  from  the  presence  of  J esus.  She 
adored  in  the  depths  of  her  heart  and 
thanked  with  all  the  energies  of  her  soul, 
the  God  whom  her  tender  years  did  not 
as  yet  allow  her  to  receive. 

This  longing  for  the  Sacrament  of  the 
Eucharist  determined  her  confessor  to 
hasten  the  blissful  moment,  in  which  she 
was  to  receive  the  bread  that  came  down 
from  heaven.  She  was  only  ten  years  of 
age  when  she  made  her  first  communion. 
Thenceforth  she  determined  to  bind  her- 
self for  ever  to  her  divine  Spouse  by  the 
vow  of  virginity. 

Her  father  having  been  appointed  gov- 
ernor of  Cortona,  Catharine  was  placed  as 
a boarder  amongst  the  nuns  of  St.  J olm, 
(9) 


THE  LII'E  OF  ST.  MARY 


I 


at  Florence.  This  entire  separation  from 
the  world  caused  her  much  joy,  because 
she  now  had  liberty  to  follow  all  the 
movements  of  her  fervor.  The  authors 
of  her  Life  tell  us  that  she  spent  four 
hours  each  morning  on  her  knees  at  medi- 
tation. 

So  many  favors  conceded  by  Godfound 
on  the  part.,of  our  young  Saint  an  active 
correspondence  of  grace,  and  above 
all  profound  humility.  In  fact,  Catha- 
rine was  impressed  with  such  an  hum- 
ble opinion  of  herself,  that  she  deemed 
herself  unworthy  to  approach  the  religi- 
ous who  directed  her  education.  She 
looked  on  them  as  the  chosen  spouses 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  she  entertained  such 
respect  for  them,  that  she  often  remained 
j a considerable  distance  from  them,  for  in 
her  eyes  they  were  terrestrial  angels. 

The  governor  of  Cortona,  her  father, 
(10) 


i 

i 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZ2I. 

returned  to  Florence,  after  an  absence  of 
fifteen  months.  His  object  was  to  pro- 
cure a settlement  for  Ills  daughter  be- 
coming her  rank,  birth,  and  fortune. 

Many  gentlemen  presented  themselves; 
but  before  deciding  on  any  of  them,  her 
father  resolved  to  confer  with  Catherine, 
in  order  to  obtain  her  consent.  This  con- 
ference revealed  to  the  parents  the  glori- 
ous future  that  was  dawning  on  their 
child.  She  avowed  that  she  had  con- 
secrated herself  to  God,  and  that  she 
would  have  no  other  spouse  than  Jesus 
Christ.  Furthermore,  she  availed  her- 
self of  this  opportunity  to  gain  permis- 
sion to  embrace  the  religious  state. 

Her  parents,  fancying  that  a long  novi- 
tiate would  change  her,  did  not  oppose 
their  daughter’s  wishes,  and  they  accord- 
ingly affected  to  grant  her  request. 

She  determined  to  enter  the  Order  of 
(U) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARY 


Carmelites,  for  she  knew  that  the  nuns  of 
this  institute  communicate  every  day, 
and  this  one  thought  reconciled  her  to 
all  its  rigid  austerities. 

The  Monastery  of  the  Carmelites  of  St. 
Fridien,  situated  in  one  of  the  suburbs 
of  Florence,  was  that  into  which  our  Saint 
entered  on  the  14th  of  August,  1582. 
For  some  days  she  wore  the  secular  habit, 
to  instruct  herself  in  the  rule  before  en- 
gaging to  follow  it. 

The  religious  were  not  slow  in  dis- 
covering what  a priceless  treasure  had 
been  confided  to  them.  They  could  not 
but  admire  the  virtues  of  Catharine  ; her 
very  fervor  became  an  object  calculated 
to  inflame  their  fervor. 

Scarcely  had  a fortnight  elapsed  when 
her  parents  regretted  having  allowed  hei 
with  such  facility  to  enter  religion.  They 
therefore  brought  her  home,  and  kepi 
(12) 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 


h&i  tliree  months  under  the  domestic  roof, 
in  orde~  to  test  her  vocation.  During 
this  period  of  trials  so  hard  for  our  saint, 
her  parents  never  could  induce  her  to 
array  herself  in  rich  apparel ; the  vanities 
of  the  world  excited  her  contempt ; she 
felt  an  indescribable  aversion  for  every- 
thing that  savored  of  luxury ; she 
tasted  no  joy  except  in  poverty,  re- 
collectedness,  solitude,  and  prayer. 

Her  parents  had  soon  reason  to  find 
that  her  vocation  was  decidedly  to  enter 
the  cloister  life ; and  they  therefore 
allowed  her  to  follow  it  freely. 

The  Saint  lost  no  time  in  availing  her- 
self  of  the  permission,  and  on  the  first  of 
December  she  entered  her  dear  mon- 
astery. She  was  then  only  fifteen  years 
of  age.  She  immediately  proceeded  to 
cast  herself  at  the  feet  of  the  mistress  of 
novices,  humbly  beseeching  that  she 
(13) 


V 


I 

I 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARY 

would  leave  her  to  herself,  in  order  that 
she  might  be  enabled  to  walk  firmly  in 
the  practice  of  self-renouncement  and 
humiliations. 

During  the  term  of  her  novitiate,  she 
was  an  object  of  admiration  to  all  those 
who  witnessed  her  fervor  and  charity. 

God,  wishing  as  it  were  to  test  her, 
allowed  that  she  should  be  visited  by 
sickness ; and  during  the  whole  time  of 
her  infirmity  she  displayed  the  most  ad-  \ 
mirable  patience  accompanied  by  the  f 
most  heroic  resignation.  Nothing  could  | 
surpass  her  desire  to  suffer  perpetually.  \ 
Grant  me,  she  would  say,  to  suffer  more 
and  more  for  the  sake  of  that  God  who 
endured  so  much  for  the  love  of  us. 

One  of  the  sisters  having  asked  her 
from  what  source  she  derived  so  much 
resignation,  she  answered,  pointing  to  the  | 
crucifix  that  was  near  her  bed : u See  \ 
(14) 


! 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 


what  the  infinite  love  of  God  has  done 
for  my  salvation.  This  same  Love  knows 
my  weakness  and  gives  me  courage.” 
Those  who  remember  the  sufferings  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  offer  theirs  to  God,  in 
union  with  those  of  the  Redeemer,  can 
find  nothing  bitter  or  insipid  in  all  their 
tribulations,  no  matter  how  tormenting 
they  may  be. 

Catharine  made  her  profession,  May 
17th,  1584,  just  at  the  crisis  when  her 
malady  threatened  to  end  fatally.  She 
then  renounced  the  name  of  Catharine 
and  took  that  of  Mary  Magdalene,  the 
celebrated  penitent,  whom  she  never 
ceased  to  invoke. 

During  the  forty  days  that  followed 
her  profession  si  e experienced  many  ec- 
stacios  and  ineffable  consolations. 

When  a soul  gives  itself  to  God,  it  is, 
generally  speaking,  visited  by  many  in- 
05) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARY 

terior  consolations.  By  means  of  tlie 
light  which  God  communicates  to  it  abun- 
dantly, it  distinguishes  still  more  clearly 
the  nothingness  of  the  things  of  this 
world ; and  meditating  on  its  weakness  and 
miseries,  it  acquires  redoubled  vigor  in 
the  practice  of  humility,  attracted  at  the 
same  time  by  the  odor  of  the  perfumes 
shed  upon  its  path : such  a soul  preserves 
an  unwearied  ardor,  and  makes  greater 
progress  in  Christian  perfection.  This  is 
a foretaste  of  Heaven,  but  it  is  given 
only  that  we  may  await  the  days  of  trial 
with  courage,  and  bear  them  with  hu- 
mility and  resignation.  In  fact,  these 
days  do  come  ; they  come,  bringing  along 
with  them  dense  darkness,  aridities,  and 
agonies.  God  wishes  to  reign  without  a 
rival  in  the  hearts  of  his  servants,  and  if 
he  sends  them  crosses,  it  is  to  the  end  that 
they  may  overcome  all  obstacles,  subdue 
(16) 


I 


MAGDALENE  PE  PAZZI. 


all  inordinate  attachments,  and  turn  them 
into  perfect  charity.  God  thus  casts  us 
into  the  crucible  of  tribulations,  and  the 
activity  of  the  fire  in  which  we  are  puri- 
fied, is  commonly  regulated  according  to 
the  degree  of  sanctity  or  of  mercy  to 
which  the  eternal  designs  would  elevate 
us.  Tliis  was  what  our  saint  experienced. 

Interior  pains  took  the  place  of  that  joy 
and  sweetness  with  which  she  had  been 
inundated  all  her  life ; but  these  pains 
served  only  to  exalt  and  increase  her  vir- 
tue. Her  dispositions  were  so  perfect, 
that  she  did  not  even  desire  the  consola- 
tions of  heaven,  of  which  she  deemed 
herself  far  less  worthy  than  all  other 
creatures. 

As  regarded  the  favors  she  received, 
she  strove  to  conceal  the  knowledge  of 
them  from  others ; and  far  from  believing 
that  she  had  ever  deserved  them,  she  at- 
Cl  7) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARY 


tributed  them  to  the  gratuitous  good- 
ness of  her  God ; nay,  sbe  availed  her- 
self of  them  to  humble  herself  still 
more,  and  to  purify  still  more  scrupu- 
lously all  her  heart's  affections.  Being 
persuaded  that  love  never  manifests  itself 
half  so  much  as  amid  sufferings,  she  had 
an  insatiable  desire  for  crosses.  In  the 
vivacity  of  her  tender  sentiments  for  her 
divine  Spouse,  she  looked  with  indiffer- 
ence on  consolations,  torments,  pains, 
sweetnesses,  and  bitternesses.  1 1 Oh  Love,” 
she  would  exclaim,  “ must  thou  be  so  lit 
tie  known  to  thine  own  creatures  ! Oh 
my  Jesus,  would  I had  a voice  that  could 
be  heard  at  the  earth's  extremities  ! I 
would  everywhere  proclaim  that  this  love 
should  be  known,  loved  and  esteemed, 
as  the  only  good  ; but  the  detestable  poi- 
son of  self-love  deprives  men  of  this  divine 
knowledge  and  unfits  them  for  recei  ving  i t.” 

(18) 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 


The  tear  of  having  offended  God  by 
exhibiting  too  strong  a desire  to  make  her 
religions  profession,  determined  her  to 
remain  still  two  years  longer  in  the  novi- 
tiate. This  permission  was  granted  to 
her  by  the  superioress.  At  the  expiration 
of  this  term  she  was  appointed  superinten- 
dent in  the  second  rank  of  the  young  lay 
sisters,  who  were  to  be  instructed  in  the 
rule  before  taking  the  habit.  Three  years 
afterwards  they  confided  to  her  the  care 
of  the  novices.  The  whole  community 
never  ceased  to  admire  her  holy  love  of 
penance.  She  fasted  on  bread  and  water 
every  day  of  the  week,  except  on  Sun- 
days and  festival  days,  when  she  took  a 
little  more  nourishment.  During  Lent 
she  accompanied  her  fastings  with  divers 
corporeal  austerities. 

But  it  is  time  that  we  should  contem- 
plate her  struggling  with  the  spirit  of 
(19) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARY 

darkness  ; for  she  was  assailed  by  temp- 
tations most  abhorrent  to  lier  spotless 
purity  of  heart.  Her  prayers  were  all 
without  effect.  Jesus  and  Mary  seemed 
no  longer  to  hear  her.  The  discipline, 
the  sack-cloth,  and  the  most  poignant  in- 
struments of  rigorous  penance  were  use- 
less ; her  soul  was  prompted  to  blasphemy 
and  infidelity.  She  felt  herself  so  hotly  pur- 
sued that  she  would  sometimes  say  to  the 
sisterhood:  u Pray  for  me,  that  I may 
not  blaspheme  the  Lord,  intead  of  prais- 
ing him.” 

Fasting,  which  habit,  aided  by  grace, 
had  rendered  easy  to  her,  now  became 
painful  and  insupportable.  All  these 
sufferings  were  made  bitterer  still  by  the 
contempt  which  her  community  heaped 
on  her.  The  very  extraordinary  graces 
she  had  hitherto  received,  and  which  won 
the  admiration  of  her  community,  were 
(20) 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 

now  regarded  as  so  many  illusions. 
Meanwliile  God  never  wholly  abandoned 
his  servant.  The  invisible  power  of  His 
ami  sustained  her.  Every  time  that  she 
meditated  on  the  passion  of  Jesus  Christ, 
she  felt  herself  fortified  and  inflamed  with 
fresh  desire  to  copy  in  herself  the  Man  of 
Sorrows. 

This  struggle  lasted  five  years  ; but  at 
length  God  restored  calm  to  her  soul,  and 
He  seemed  to  be  returning  to  her  after  a 
long  absence.  While  at  matins  on  the 
feast  of  Pentecost,  1590,  she  had  an  ec- 
stacy  during  the  Te  JDeum.  After  the 
office,  her  countenance  and  language 
evinced  unusual  joy.  She  clasped  the 
hand  of  the  superioress  and  of  the  mis- 
tress of  novices,  and  invited  them  to  con- 
gratulate her  on  the  wonderful  change 
that  had  been  wrought  in  her.  “The 

tempest,”  said  she,  “ is  past ; help  me, 
(21) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARY 

therefore,  to  thank  and  bless  my 
Creator.”  ' 

This  return  of  consolations  was  fol- 
lowed by  many  other  singular  graces. 
God  favored  her  with  the  gift  of  proph- 
ecy. She  foretold  the  Papacy  to  Leo 
XI ; but  she  predicted  at  the  same  time 
that  he  should  die  a short  while  after  his 
election,  as  was  verified  by  the  fact. 

In  1598  she  was  appointed  mistress  of 
novices,  and  she  discharged  this  duty 
during  a period  of  six  years.  In  1604 
she  was  elected  prioress,  and  she  retained 
this  responsible  office  till  her  death. 

In  the  midst  of  all  these  avocations, 
Mary  Magdalene  was  always  united  to 
her  God,  and  the  merest  mention  of  His 
name  was  sufficient  to  awaken’  in  her 
the  liveliest  transports  of  love.  With 
what  incredible  fervor  and  intense  joy 
would  she  recite  the  doxology — Glory 
(22) 


i 


.V 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 

be  to  the  Father  ! She  would  then  pros- 
trate herself  and  all  her  faculties  in  the 
presence  of  Him  from  whom  she  had  re- 
ceived them  all.  In  all  things  she  beheld 
God  alone,  and  thought  of  nothing  but 
pleasing  Him  and  doing  His  will.  “ The 
will  of  God,  whatsoever  it  may  be*  is  al- 
always  amiable,”  said  she  to  the  sister- 
hood. Oh  ! how  grand  is  our  position  ! 
We  hold  communion  with  God,  always 
for  our  own  advantage  when  we  act  with 
the  intention  of  honoring  Him.  “ Come, 
“she  would  occasionally  say;  “come 
and  love  your  God,  who  loves  you  so 
much.  Oh,  Love  ! I die  of  grief  when  I 
think  that  thou  art  so  little  known  and 
loved.” 

In  the  instructions  she  gave  to  the  no- 
vices, she  taught  them  to  sing  the  praises 
of  G od  with  great  respect.  “ Think,”  she 
would  say  to  them,  “ that  you  are  in  the 
(23) 


0 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARY 

company  of  angels ; seek,  therefore,  to  be 
prostrated  in  spirit  at  every  word  that 
you  pronounce  ” 

When  they  did  not  sing  the  office  with 
the  due  composure,  she  asked  permission 
to  leave  the  choir,  and  then  addressed 
the  sisters  thus : “ Why  this  haste  t What 
more  important  affair  could  you  have  to 
engage  you  ? ” 

Mary  Magdalene  was  always  inflamed 
with  a holy  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls. 
Often  and  often  was  she  found  kneeling 
before  the  tabernacle,  bathed  in  tears,  and 
beseeching,  with  tenderness,  the  salvation 
of  sinners,  the  conversion  of  heretics  and 
infidels  ; and  whensoever  her  prayer  was 
interrupted  by  the  necessity  of  other 
duties,  or  by  the  want  of  repose,  she  would 
exclaim  with  all  her  heart:  u How  can  I 
rest  when  I consider  how  grievously  G od 
is  outraged  on  earth  ? Oh,  Love,  I act  in 

(24) 


j 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 

obedience,  and  I retire  to  conform  myself 
to  thy  holy  will.” 

This  ardent  thirst  for  the  salvation  of 
sinners  was  conveyed  by  our  saint  in  her 
conversations  to  all  those  whom  she  en- 
tertained nay,  she  exhorted  them  to  direct 
all  their  good  works  to  this  end. 

Blissful  are  the  tears,  and  happy  are 
the  prayers  by  means  of  which  blessed 
souls,  in  the  recesses  of  their  solitude,  do 
violence,  as  it  were,  to  the  anger  of  the 
Lord  ! When  the  world  saddens  God’s 
heart,  when  sinners  provoke  Him  to  wrath, 
fervent  hearts  console  Him,  satisfy  His 
justice,  and  bring  down  on  the  earth  the 
visitations  of  His  mercy. 

The  sacrament  of  the  adorable  Euclia-  j 
rist  awakened  her  holiest  love  and  tran-  j 
sports.  In  her  eyes  there  was  no  greater  | 
blessing  than  to  be  able  to  receive  tlie  j 
body  and  blood  of  Christ.  “ To  procure  j 

(25) 

i 

I 

i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MART 


tills  blessing,”  she  was  wont  to  say  : “ I 
would  not  hesitate,  were  it  necessary,  to 
enter  a den  of  lions,  and  to  expose  inyself 
to  every  sort  of  suffering.” 

Her  humility  may  be  described  as 
truly  marvellous.  She  looked  on  herself 
as  the  opprobrium  of  the  monastery,  the 
refuse  of  the  community,  and  the 
most  miserable  of  creatures. 

She  rejoiced  when  she  thought  that 
she  was  forgotten,  and  still  more  so  when 
she  was  reprimanded  and  employed  in 
the  lowliest  occupations  of  the  house. 
Often  was  she  heard  to  exclaim,  “Oh, 
nothingness,  how  little  art  thou  known!” 

During  the  last  years  of  her  life  the 
Saint  was  assailed  by  violent  sickness  of 
the  head  and  chest,  accompanied  by 
fever  and  vomiting  of  blood,  which  caused 
her  acute  agonies.  Her  gums  were  also 
attacked  by  a scorbutic  affection  which 
(26) 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 


cost  her  the  loss  of  all  her  teeth.  Along 
with  these  sufferings,  she  sometimes  had 
to  endure  dryness  and  afflicting  aridities. 

Our  Saint  longed  with  intensest  desire 
to  break  the  bonds  of  the  flesh,  that  she 
might  go  and  be  united  for  ever  with 
Jesus  Christ;  but,  despite  this  longing, 
she  desired  to  live  in  order  that  she  might 
continue  to  suffer  for  the  object  of  her 
love. 

That  which  principally  revealed  the 
heroism  of  her  patience  was  her  inces- 
sant petition  to  God  to  be  allowed  to 
suffer  without  any  consolation,  that  she 
might  thus  taste  all  the  bitterness  of  His 
chalice. 

% 

Mary  Magdalene,  on  finding  her  last 
•moments  approach,  exhorted  her  religi- 
ous to  fervor  and  to  the  love  of  the  Cross. 

She  then  requested  the  sacrament  of 
Extreme  Unction,  which  was  adminis- 

(27) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MAEY 


tercd  to  her,  and  she  received  the  holy 
sacrament  of  Christ’s  Body  every  day  till 
her  death,  which  occurred  on  the  25th  of 
May,  1607. 

Her  age  was  then  fifty-one  years,  one 
month  and  twenty-four  days.  Urban 
VIII  beatified  her  in  1626,  and  Alex- 
ander VII  canonized  her  in  1669.  Her 
body  is  preserved  at  Florence  in  a very 
costly  shrine.  God  accorded  to  the  inter- 
cession of  St.  Mary  Magdalene  number- 
less miraculous  cures. 

“ Contemplate,”  says  the  author  of  the 
Imitation  of  Christ,  u the  example  of  the 
saints.  Oh,  what  a life  of  self-renounce- 
ment and  austerities  do  we  behold  in  the 
saints  of  the  desert ! What  long  and  try- 
ing temptations  have  they  encountered ! 
How  frequently  have  they  been  tor 
mented  by  the  enemy  ! How  numberless 
and  fervent  were  the  prayers  which  they 
(28) 


1 


j 

i 

: 

MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 
a 

j sent  up  to  God ! What  rigorous  absti- 
j nonces  have  they  practised  ! What  zeal, 
j what  ardor  for  their  spiritual  advance- 
j ment ! How  deadly  was  the  war  they 
waged  against  then*  passions  ! How  pure 
and  undeviating  was  their  intention, 
which  was  always  directed  towards  God  ! 
They  toiled  with  then'  hands  in  the  day- 
time, and  passed  the  night  in  prayer;  nay, 
and  even  in  the  time  set  apart  for  labor, 
they  never  ceased  to  pray  in  the  spirit. 

u They  were  poor  in  the  things  of 
earth,  but  they  were  rich  in  graces  and 
virtues. 

n Externally,  every  thing  was  wanting 
to  them ; but  God  fortified  them  inter- 
j nally  by  his  grace. 

u They  were  strangers  to  the  world, 
j but  they  were  the  intimate  and  familiar 
j friends  of  God. 

“ They  have  been  given  as  an  example 

(29) 

l] 

| 


MAGDALENE  DE  PAZZI. 


to  all  those  who  profess  the  true  religion, 
and  they  should  serve  to  excite  us  to  ad- 
vance more  and  more  in  perfection,  in 
order  that  the  tepid  may  not  lead  us  to 
indifference  or  neglect  ” 


PRAYER. 

Thou  great  Saint ! who  wast  a model 
of  virtues  and  rigorous  abstinences,  be 
our  protectress  with  God,  who  mercifully 
allows  us  to  call  Him  our  Father.  Watch 
over  us  that  sin  may  never  render  us  un- 
worthy of  being  His  children.  Beseech 
Him  not  to  abandon  us  in  the  temptations 
to  which  we  are  exposed  by  the  enemy 
of  our  salvation.  Implore  Him  to  give 
us  patience  in  our  tribulations,  that  we 
may  be  one  day  crowned  in  Heaven. 
Amen. 


(30> 


THE  LIFE 


OF 

SAINT  CHARLES  B0RR0ME0. 


O AINT  CHARLES  was  born  October 
2,  1538,  in  the  Castle  of  Arona, 
situated  on  the  bauk  of  Laco  Maggiore, 
fourteen  miles  from  Milan.  His  father, 
Gilbert  Borromeo,  Lord  of  Arona,  and 
his  mother,  Margarita  de  Medicis,  were 
both  distinguished  for  their  eminent 

O 


piety. 

From  his  earliest  childhood,  Charles 
gave  unmistakable  evidences  of  the  sanc- 
tity to  which  he  was  called.  He  loved 
modesty,  simplicity,  the  exercises  of 
prayer,  and  everything  else  that  spoke  tu 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHAELES  BOEBOMEO. 

him  of  God.  Such  dispositions  as  these 
convinced  his  parents  that  God  had  des- 
tined their  son  for  the  ecclesiastical  state, 
and  this  conviction  filled  them  with  joy. 

Charles  studied  grammar  and  humanity 
in  Milan ; he  was  then  sent  to  Pavia,  to 
study  civil  and  canon  law ; but  after  the 
death  of  his  father,  which  occurred  in 
1558,  he  was  obliged  to  return  to  Milan, 
to  take  part  in  the  management  of  domes- 
tic concerns.  It  was  in  this  city  that  he 
received  intelligence  of  the  elevation  of 
his  uncle,  Cardinal  de  Medicis,  to  the 
pontifical  throne.  As  the  new  Pope 
(Pius  IV.)  was  a Milanese  patrician,  there 
were  great  rejoicings  in  his  native  city, 
whose  inhabitants  hastened  to  congratu- 
late his  holiness’s  nephews,  Charles  and 
Frederic  Borromeo.  Our  Saint  received 
all  the  complimentary  addresses  with  a 
coldness  which  clearly  proved  that  he 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHAELES  BGBROMEO. 


dreaded  the  dangers  to  which  this  eleva 
tion  .exposed  him. 

In  fact,  the  Pope  lost  no  time  in  send- 
ing for  Charles.  Finding  that  he  possess- 
ed great  wisdom,  he  made  him  a Cardinal 
.on  the  last  day  of  the  year,  and,  on  the 
8th  day  of  February,  he  appointed  him 
Archbishop  of  Milan,  although  he  waa 
then  only  in  his  twenty-third  year. 

In  a spirit  of  obedience,  Charles  ac- 
cepted these  dignities;  but  he  soon  justi- 
fied the  selection  made  by  his  holiness, 
to  whom  he  was  of  the  greatest  use  in 
the  most  embarrassing  affairs  of  church 
government.  One  of  the  most  important 
matters  then  engaging  the  attention  of 
the  Sovereign  Pontiff  was  the  Council  ot 
Trent,  which  had  commenced  eighteen 
years  before.  The  holy  Cardinal,  by  his 
zeal,  prudence,  and  presence,  happily  suc- 
ceeded in  surmounting  all  the  difficulties 

O 

[3] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEQ. 


♦ 

that  had  prevented  the  termination  of 
this  General  Council.  The  last  session 
was  held  December  4,  1563.  The  Arch- 
bishop immediately  published  its  decrees 
throughout  his  diocese,  for  the  reforma- 
tion of  discipline,  and  by  way  of  exam- 
ple, and  to  give  more  force  to  their  execu- 
tion, he  set  about  reforming  his  own 
household.  He  sold  all  his  precious  fur- 
niture and  ornaments,  and  every  other 
superfluity,  nay,  and  the  very  carriage 
and  horses  that  court  etiquette  obliged 
him  to  keep  while  at  Rome.  Meanwhile, 
our  Saint  was  burning  with  anxiety  to 
return  to  his  diocese,  in  order  to  labor 
for  the  salvation  of  the  souls  committed 
to  his  pastoral  guidance. 

Whilst  he  was  preparing  to  set  out,  the 
pious  and  learned  Barthelemy  des  Mar- 
tyrs, Archbishop  of  Braga,  came  from 
Trent  to  Rome,  to  visit  the  Supreme  Pon- 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BOH  ROMEO. 

tiff.  Charles  unlocked  his  heart  to  him, 
and  communicated  to  him  all  his  per- 
plexities; for  he  had  been  a long  time 
troubled  on  the  subject  of  residence.  In 
fact,  he  could  not  tranquillize  his  mind,  al- 
though his  absence  from  Milan  was  not 
voluntary,  and  all  his  occupations  had 
for  their  object  the  universal  good  of 
the  Church*  “It  is  now,”  said  he,  “a 
long  time  since  I began  to  beseech  the 
Lord  to  enlighten  me  on  the  state  in 
which  I am  living.  You  see  what  my 
situation  is ; you  know  what  it  is  to  be 
the  nephew  of  a pope,  and,  above  all,  a 
nej3hew  beloved  by  his  holiness.  Neither 
are  you  ignorant  of  the  life  one  is  obliged 
to  lead  in  a court.  At  this  period  of  my 
life,  without  experience,  and  without  any 
other  support  than  an  earnest  desire  to 
obtain  the  grace  of  God,  what  am  I to 
do?  I cherish  the  greatest  love  for  a 
[51 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHAELES  BORKOMEO. 


penitential  life ; I have  determined  to 
prefer  my  salvation  to  everything  else  ; 1 
sometimes  think  of  breaking  my  chains 
and  retiring  to  a monastery,  in  order  to  live 
there,  as  though  there  existed  none,  save 
God  and  I.”  These  words,  accompanied 
by  a tone  of  candor  and  frankness,  charm- 
ed the  Archbishop  of  Braga,  who,  to 
tranquillize  our  Saint,  convinced  him  by 
solid  arguments  that  he  ought  not  to  quit 
the  post  to  which  Providence  had  called 
him  ; that  his  occupations  concerned  the 
universal  Church;  that  he  ought  to  re- 
main with  his  uncle,  who,  by  reason  of 
his  advanced  age,  needed  help  ; but  that 
he  should  be  always  in  a. disposition  to  go 
and  govern  his  diocese  in  person  when- 
ever the  opportunity  presented  itself 
Calm  having  been  poured  into  his  soul 
by  these  instructions,  Charles  embraced 
the  holy  Bishop  of  Braga,  and  declared 
[6] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO, 


tliat  God  had  sent  him  to  Rome  for  his 
especial  benefit,  and  that  he  had  lifted 
from  off  his  heart  a heavy  and  tormenting 
burden  of  care  and  anxiety. 

Our  Saint  now  began  to  think  of  re- 
turning to  his  fiock,  and  caused  himself 
to  be  preceded  by  many  missionaries  of 
the  Society  of  Jesus,  to  whom  he  gave  a 
house  situated  in  Milan,  in  order  that  it 
might  serve  as  a central  point  for  the 
missions  that  were  to  be  given  through- 
out his  diocese. 

Having  pressed  his  petition  on  his 
uncle  to  allow  him  to  leave  Rome,  he  at 
last  was  empowered  to  proceed  to  Milan ; 
but  he  had  barely  arrived  there,  wThen  the 
Pope  fell  sick.  He  was  now  obliged  to 
go  back  to  Rome*  Pius  IV.  died  in  St. 
Charles’s  arms  December  10,  1565.  Pius 
V.,  who  was  elected  a month  afterwards, 
did  all  in  his  power  to  prevail  on  Charles 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHAELES  BOEKOMEO. 


to  remain  with  liim;  but  such  was  the 
holy  Archbishop’s  zealous  anxiety  to  re- 
pair to  his  diocese  that  he  at  last  obtain- 
ed the  Sovereign  Pontiff’s  consent. 

In  the  days  of  Saint  Charles  Borromeo, 
violence,  pride,  and  the  most  depraved 
libertinism  were  the  chief  characteristics 
of  the  aristocracy.  The  infection  of  this 
terrible  state  of  evil  soon  communicated 
itself  to  the  people  at  large. 

Innocence  trembled  for  its  existence, 
and  had  to  hide  itself  in  terror,  and  the 
hand  of  infamy  was  allowed  to  smite  it 
without  dread  of  the  avenging  sword  of 
justice.  In  a word,  the  sword  of  justice 
was  kept  sheathed. 

To  crown  her  misfortunes,  Italy  was 
then  a prey  to  foreign  oppression. 
Throughout  the  whole  country  there  ex- 
isted a continual  succession  of  outrages, 
vengeance,  and  animosities;  and,  as  the 
[81 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

people  became  more  corrupt  under  a gov- 
ernment which  they  execrated,  the  ruling 
power  caused  itself  to  be  feared  in  propor- 
tion to  the  hatred  of  those  whom  it  op- 
pressed. 

During  these  unhappy  days  that  pro- 
duced ignorance  and  oblivion  of  the  Gos- 
pel, the  celestial  army,  that  is,  the  clergy, 
whose  sanctity  must  always  be  consjucu- 
ous,  since  they  are  the  interpreters  of  hea- 
ven, had  many  illustrious  champions  in 
its  ranks;  but,  alas  ! on  the  other  hand, 
the  Church  was  afflicted  by  innumerable 
evils.  In  fact,  a large  body  of  ecclesias- 
tics, affecting  a jfflarisaical  zeal,  had  be- 
come traitors  to  the  Church,  and  were 
actually  engaged  corrupting  the  people 
by  their  criminal  and  hypocritical  devices. 

Charles  shed  bitter  tears  over  this  un- 
happy state  of  things.  God,  to  be  sure, 
had  not  given  him  an  omnipotent  arm; 

[91 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORIiOMEO. 

but  he  burned,  nevertheless,  to  stem  this 
torrent  of  depravity  and  horrors.  The 
vastness  of  his  projects  nowise  discon- 
certed him ; he  placed  his  trust  in  the  aid 
of  Heaven,  being  convinced  that  no  man 
can  fail  to  help  his  fellow-man,  provided 
he  derives  his  energy  from  exalted  virtues. 

God  blessed  this  heroic  design.  He 
had  selected  this  holy  man  to  do  his  work. 
He  had  given  him  a great  reputation  for 
justice,  and  a power  of  speech  so  pene- 
trating and  convincing  that  the  evil- 
minded  were  obliged  either  to  love  or  to 
dread  him.  In  the  eyes  of  all,  Charles 
was  the  special  ambassador  of  the  Most 
High. 

If  the  holy  Archbishop  imposed  a se 
vere  dignity  on  his  clergy,  he  himself  gave 
the  example  of  it.  His  first  care  on  com- 
ing to  his  diocese  was  to  confine  his  ex- 
penditure to  the  bare  revenue  of  his 
lioi 


TILE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BOREOMEO. 

archbishopric.  Such  was  the  conduct 
of  this  man  whose  family  possessed  enor- 
mous wealth,  and  who  had  received  from 
tiis  uncle  immense  benefices.  All  this 
wealth  was  now  devoted  by  the  holy  pre- 
late to  founding  seminaries  and  colleges, 
and  to  establishing  hospitals  for  the  sick 
and  needy.  For  the  benefit  of  the  poor 
whom  he  called  his  own,  he  sold  his  sil- 
ver plate,  his  furniture,  and  every  pre- 
cious object  that  he  possessed. 

Charles,  knowing  well  that  he  would 
have  to  experience  less  difficulty  in  mak- 
ing others  practise  virtue  if  they  saw  him 
acting  thus  himself,  caused  all  the  statues, 
pictures,  and  tapestries  which  ornamented 
his  palace  to  be  removed.  He  likewise 
caused  the  armorial  bearings  of  his  family, 
which  were  emblazoned  over  his  palace 
gates  before  his  arrival,  to  be  taken  down. 
The  garments  that  his  dignity  obliged 
[ill 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 


him  to  wear  concealed  others  of  such  me 
diocrity  that  on  one  occasion  a beggar- 
man  to  whom  they  were  offered  refused 
to  have  them.  His  fasting  was  continual, 
and  his  austerities  were  like  those  of  a 
solitary  in  his  cell.  His  palace,  always 
open  to  those  who  desired  to  receive  in- 
struction from  him,  presented  the  image 
of  a religious  house. 

Some  archbishops  for  whom  Saint 
Charles  cherished  the  highest  esteem 
wrote  to  him  saying  that  his  manner  of 
life  was  incompatible  with  the  labors  of 
the  episcopate.  To  them  he  replied  that 
experience  had  taught  him  the  contrary ; 
that,  as  to  the  labors  he  had  to  undergo, 
a bishop  could  not  have  a greater  bless- 
ing than  that  of  giving  his  life  for  the 
Church  which  Jesus  Christ  had  purchased 
with  his  blood.  “In  fine,”  replied  the 

Saint,  “ I must  not  give  ear  to  false 
[12] 


fa 


1 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BOKROMEO. 

delicacy  when  there  is  question  of  the 
duty  that  I should  perform.  Did  not 
Basil  and  many  other  bishops  who  had 
extensive  dioceses  live  in  the  practice  of 
watching  and  fasting?  And  notwith- 
standing this  uninterrupted  practice,  did 
they  not  live  to  a very  advanced  age?  ” 
When  his  people  advised  him  to  take 
more  sleep,  in  order  to  repair  his  diminish- 
ed strength,  he  was  accustomed  to  say 
that  John  de  Medicis,  his  uncle,  a celebrat- 
ed general,  and  many  other  military  offi- 
cers, passed  many  a night  without  sleep- 
ing. “ What ! ” he  would  remark,  “ can- 
not a bishop  do  the  same?  Is  not  a 
bishop  obliged  to  wage  war  against 
hell?” 

His  patience  in  bearing  cold  and  the 
other  rigors  of  the  seasons  was  almost  in- 
credible. On  one  occasion,  when  one  of 
his  servants  set  about  warming  his  bed, 

[13] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

he  stopped  him,  and  said,  smiling,  “The 
best  remedy  against  finding  the  bed  cold 
is  to  lie  down  colder  than  the  bed  it- 
self.” 

The  Bishop  of  Asti,  who  preached  his 
funeral  oration,  related  the  following 
fact:  “Being  with  the  Archbishop  when 
he  was  making  a visitation  to  the  valley 
of  Mesolcina,  an  extremely  cold  region,  I 
saw  him  one  night  at  study  covered  with  a 
simple  black  cloak  all  in  tatters.  I then 
said  to  him  that  he  was  exposing  himself 
to  the  danger  of  death  by  cold.  I be- 
sought him  to  wrap  himself  more  com- 
fortably ; but  his  reply  was,  1 What  do 
you  mean  to  say  ? I have  no  other  cloak 
than  this.  That  which  I am  obliged  to  ; 
wear  by  day  belongs  to  a cardinal’s  dig- 
nity ; but  this  is  my  own,  and  I will  use 
no  other,  summer  or  winter.’  ” 

From  this  love  of  mortification  sprang 
[U1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHAFwLES  BORKOMEO. 

profound  humility,  unalterable  gentleness, 
and  a perfect  detachment  from  all  the 
things  of  earth.  He  tarried  and  talked 
with  the  poor,  like  a father  amongst  his 
children,  like  a friend  with  his  friends. 
No  matter  how  great  the  fatigue,  he 
sought  them  out  in  order  to  instruct 
them.  The  Bishop  of  Ferrara,  having 
been  informed  that  he  had  come  to  visit 
a valley  which  teemed  with  a wretched 
class  of  people,  came  to  offer  him  his  re- 
spects. He  found  him  lying  sick  on  a 
poor  bed  in  a miserable  cabin  ; so  much 
was  he  affected  by  this  spectacle  that  he 
could  hardly  speak.  The  Saint,  perceiv- 
ing his  embarrassment,  told  him  that  he 
was  very  well  treated,  nay,  far  better  than 
he  deserved.  The  tone  of  voice  in  which 
he  spoke  thus  only  served  to  increase  the 
bishop’s  astonishment.  When  the  holy 
prelate  was  travelling,  he  either  prayed 
[151 


4 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

or  studied  on  the  journey,  desiring  no 
other  recreation  than  that  given  him  by  the 
variety  of  his  occupations.  When  some 
one  told  him  that  a pious  and  enlightened 
director  recommended  seven  hours’  sleep 
in  the  night,  he  answered  that  a bishop 
should  be  an  exception  to  that  rule. 
When  others  told  him  that  he  ought  to 
devote  a few  minutes  to  the  perusal  of  the 
newspapers,  in  order  to  learn  many  things 
that  might  at  some  time  be  useful  to  him, 
his  answer  was  that  the  soul  and  heart 
of  a bishop  should  be  altogether  given  to 
meditating  the  law  of  God.  “This,”  said 
he,  “ I could  not  accomplish  if  I were  to 
611  my  mind  with  the  vain  curiosities  of 
the  world — the  further  one  is  away  from 
such  things,  the  more  intimate  is  his  union 
with  God.” 

The  holy  Archbishop  confessed  every 
morning  before  celebrating  Mass,  and  he 
[161 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

every  year  made  two  retreats,  and  a gene* 
ral  confession  at  each. 

One  clay,  while  giving  communion,  he 
let  the  Host  fall,  through  the  negligence 
of  the  person  who  was  attending  him. 
Such  was  his  grief  and  sorrow  for  this 
accident  that  he  condemned  himself  to  a 
rigorous  fast  for  eight  days,  four  of  which 
he  spent  without  saying  Mass. 

Charles  Borromeo  cherished  great  de- 
votion for  St.  Ambrose,  and  particularly 
ror  the  Blessed  Virgin,  under  whose  pro- 
tection he  had  placed  his  colleges.  He 
always  carried  about  him  a relic  of  the 
true  cross  enshrined  in  a gold  crucifix, 
together  with  a little  image  of  St.  Am- 
brose. 

In  the  midst  of  all  his  laborious  occu- 
pations, the  holy  prelate  found  the  great- 
est delight  in  pausing  for  some  moments 
and  praying  at  the  foot  of  the  altars.  St. 

[171 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BOEROMEO. 

Philip  Neri,  who  lived  in  his  time,  assures 
us  that  he  found  him  one  day  plunged 
in  an  ecstasy  and  enveloped  in  celestial 
light. 

St.  Charles  never  ceased  to  recommend 
the  practice  of  contemplating  the  presence 
of  God  as  one  of  the  surest  means  for 
arriving  at  perfection.  When  a gentle- 
man asked  him  to  write  certain  rules  for 
his  spiritual  guidance,  he  gave  him  this 
answer : “ Whosoever  desires  to  advance 
in  the  service -of  God  ousrht  to  commence 

O 

each  day  of  his  life  with  new  ardor,  keep- 
ing himself  as  much  as  possible  in  the 
presence  of  God,  and  never  proposing  to 
himself  any  other  end  in  his  actions  and 
occupations  than  the  Lord’s  glory.” 

Preaching  being  one  of  the  aids  estab- 
lisked  by  God  for  the  conversion  of  souls 
and  the  principal  duty  of  a bishop,  he 
applied  himself  to  it  with  indefatigable 
[18] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

ardor.  A natural  difficulty  in  liis  enun- 
ciation at  first  seemed  to  render  him  in- 
capable of  performing  his  function,  but 
he  surmounted  it  by  the  continuity  of 
his  efforts.  His  sermons  were  solid  and 
pathetic ; he  spoke  with  vehemence  that 
left  a lively  impression  on  souls,  and  with 
an  unction  that  penetrated  the  hearts  of 
his  hearers.  He  preached  on  Sundays  and 
festivals,  and  often  twice  or  thrice  on  the 
day  of  a visitation.  u I was  so  deeply 
struck,”  says  Francis  Boscope,  “ by  the 
excellent  things  that  he  said,  and  by  the 
energy  with  which  he  said  them,  that  I 
labored  with  all  my  power  to  copy  his 
style  of  expression,  but  I found  that  im- 
possible. I soon  lost  sight  of  the  sacred 
orator,  so  enraptured  was  I by  the  grand 
truths  which  he  announced ; his  sermons, 
although  lengthy,  appeared  to  me  to  be 
too  short,  and  I always  felt  regret  when 
ri9l 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BOEROMEO. 

they  terminated.”  Many  other  authors 
speak  of  him  in  the  same  manner. 

Our  Saint  could  never  remain  unoccu- 
pied, and  time  seemed  so  precious  to  him 
that  even  at  his  meals  he  always  had  a 
book  under  his  eyes,  and  thus  never 
ceased  to  labor.  Having  been  told  that 
one  of  his  suffragans  said  he  had  nothing 
to  do,  he  reproached  him  with  the  many 
necessities  of  his  flock,  and  soon  con- 
vinced him  of  the  multitudinous  obliga- 
tions and  duties  of  his  episcopate.  The 
bishop  replied  coolly  that  Cardinal  Borro- 
meo  carried  his  solicitude  too  far.  The 
Saint,  deeply  afflicted  by  this  answer, 
wrote  him  a long  letter,  in  which  he  pass- 
ed in  review  all  the  duties  of  a prelate, 
ending  every  article  with  these  words : a Is 
it  possible  for  a bishop  to  say,  I have 
nothing  to  do  ?”  Having  been  told  of 
another  bishop  who  said  that  his  diocese 
[20] 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

was  too  large  to  admit  of  habitual  resi- 
dence, the  holy  zeal  of  the  prelate  urged 
him  to  reply  that  a single  soul  was  of  so 
great  value  that  it  deserved  the  residence 
and  all  the  time  of  the  greatest  man  in 
the  universe. 

His  charity  shrank  from  no  sacrifice 
when  there  was  question  of  God  and  of 
his  Church.  To  this  end  he  erected 
many  pious  establishments  through  his 
diocese.  The  power  of  his  influence  was 
felt  everywhere,  and  no  matter  how  great 
the  distance,  he  was  always  ready  to  fly 
to  alleviate  the  wretched. 

And  yet  there  were  very  many  persons 
who,  far  from  esteeming  his  apostolic  life 
and  labors,  heaped  every  sort  of  calumny 
and  outrage  on  him.  Ought  we  to  be 
surprised  at  this  ? Charles  came  to  wage 
war  against  vice.  Some  there  were  who 
threatened  his  life ; and  of  a certainty 
[811 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO 


they  would  have  assassinated  him  had 
not  God  protected  him.  Let  us  record 
one  instance  of  the  malignity  of  his  ene- 
mies. 

In  15G8,  amongst  other  reforms,  he 
undertook  that  of  the  Umiliati  (the 
Humbled).  This  Order  had  been  found' 
ed  in  the  eleventh  century  by  certain 
Milanese  gentlemen  who  made  religious 
vows.  This  community  had  fallen  into 
such  laxity,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  that  there  were  only  a 
hundred  and  seventy  religious  in  the 
twenty-four  monasteries  which  belonged 
to  them.  Their  superiors,  who  were  call- 
ed provosts,  used  the  funds  as  they  liked, 
and  lived  without  observing  any  rule. 

St.  Charles  obtained  from  the  Pope 
two  briefs  authorizing  him  to  reform 
these  people  as  he  thought  fit.  Pie  there- 
fore convened  a general  chapter  at  Cre- 
[22] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BOEROMEO. 


mona,  where  he  published  regulations 
calculated  to  rekindle  the  primitive  fervor 
of  the  institute.  The  religious  received 
the  reforms  with  pleasure,  but  the  pro- 
vosts and  the  lay  brothers  refused  to  sub- 
mit to  them.  In  fact,  such  wTas  theii 
indignation  that  three  provosts  of  the 
Order  resolved  to  take  the  Saint’s  life. 
One  of  them,  by  name  Safarina,  promised, 
in  consideration  of  a sum  of  money,  to 
execute  the  heinous  deed.  The  wretched 
creature  imagined  that  the  crime  would 
have  been  charged  on  some  of  the  officers 
of  the  King  of  Spain,  who  were  then 
hostile  to  the  Archbishop. 

“ The  monster,”  says  an  Italian  poet, 
“comes  to  the  place  where  the  Arch 
oishop  was ; he  enters  the  church  whilt 
the  holy  prelate,  surrounded  by  his 
clergy,  was  then  saying  night  pra}Ters. 
A religious  multitude  was  then  pouring 
[23J 


THE  LIFE  OiT  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 


out  its  heart  before  the  Eternal.  A cold 
tremor  seized  the  assassin  in  spite  of  him- 
self, and  his  angel  whispered  to  him,  ‘Re- 
pent !’ 

“ But  he  smothered  remorse,  and  laugh- 
ed at  the  angel  of  God ; he  looks  at 
Charles  with  a look  of  fire,  and  he  abomi- 
. nates  his  zeal.  He  would  fain  rid  the 
world  of  a troublesome  man ; his  escape 
seems  certain ; he  hopes  that  after  his 
crime  he  may  be  able  to  force  his  way  to 
the  gates,  and  fly. 

“The  holy  pastor  was  reciting  the 
Psalms  and  pronouncing  these  noble 
words  of  David : ‘ Let  not  my  heart  be 
downcast,  do  thou  preserve  it  fearless’ 
On  the  instant  there  is  a flash  and  the 
loud  ringing  of  a musket.  ‘ Where  is  the 
traitor  ?’  exclaims  the  pious  assemblage, 
rising;;  in  indignation.  Charles  was  hit  in 
the  back  ; but  oh  ! prodigy  ! he  falleth  not. 
f24] 


IP 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BOKEOMEO. 

“‘Let  not  my  heart  be  downcast,  do 
thou  preserve  it  fearless,’  resumed  the 
holy  prelate,  prostrating  himself  before 
the  altar,  praising  the  Lord,  and  praying 
for  the'  unhappy  being  who  had  fired  the 
shot.  A cry  of  rage  resounds  through 
the  sacred  precincts.  ‘I  am  taken,’  ex- 
claimed the  assassin.  The  monster  cursed 
his  father  and  mother,  the  day  of  his 
birth,  and,  above  all,  the  place  where  he 
had  plunged  himself  in  every  manner  of 
vice.” 

The  four  authors  of  the  plot  were  tided 
and  found  guilty;  two  of  them^who  were 
of  noble  family,  were  beheaded,  the  other 
two  were  sentenced  to  the  gallows.  In 
vain  did  the  holy  prelate  strive  to  save 
their  lives;  but,  when  he  failed  in  this,  he 
burdened  himself  with  the  maintenance 
of  their  relatives  A fifth,  less  culpable, 
was  condemned  to  the  galleys.  Pius  the 
[35] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

Fifth,  to  show  the  horror  he  felt  on  hear* 
ing  of  this  atrocious  crime,  suppressed  the 
Order  of  the  Umiliati,  and  bestowed  their 
revenues  on  charitable  foundations. 

The  Saint  thanked  God  for  his  miraculous 
preservation,  and  then  went  to  pass  some 
days  in  the  Cistercian  monastery  of  Carig- 
nano,  in  order  to  renew  the  sacrifice  that 
he  had  already  made  of  his  life.  Thence- 
forth St.  Charles’  rochet  became  an  Italian 
proverb  to  express  anything  that  was 
impenetrable.  The  rochet  is  preserved  at 
Bordeaux,  and  the  musket-ball  is  still 
kept  in  the  Church  of  the  Oblati  at  Milan. 

The  event  we  have  related  proves  how 
much  the  holy  Archbishop  was  respected 
by  the  whole  Church.  The  hatred  and 
malignity  of  the  wicked  may  be  looked 
on  as  his  highest  eulogiums;  nay,  more, 
his  very  enemies  were  forced  to  admire 
and  respect  him.  Did  the  Ignatiuses, 
[26] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

Chrysostoms,  or  Basils  excel  him  in  love 
for  his  flock?  Whenever  his  flock  need- 
ed kis  charity  and  paternal  solicitude, 
there  was  no  sacrifice  that  this  man  of 
God  was  not  prepared  to  make. 

The  crops  having  failed  in  1569,  there 
was  a dreadful  dearth  the  following  year. 
Charles  then  distributed  copious  alms, 
and  aided  by  all  means  in  his  power  the 
poor  of  his  diocese.  Notwithstanding 
all  his  zeal  to  remedy  public  abuses,  he 
could  never  succeed  in  abolishing  jousts, 
tournaments,  and  other  such  amusements 
in  which  religion,  humanity,  and  morality 
were  compromised.  It  was  at  this  period 
of  his  life  that  he  beheld  the  tempest 
hovering  over  his  diocese,  and  threatening 
his  people,  whom  he  forewarned  of  a tena- 
ble visitation. 

In  fact,  he  had  scarcely  set  out  to  assist 
a suffragan  bishop  in  his  last  moments, 
[27] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 


when  he  was  informed  that  the  plague 
had  broken  out  in  Milan,  and  was  rapidly 
spreading  throughout  his  whole  diocese. 
The  holy  Archbishop  returned  to  Milan 
immediately,  and,  on  his  arrival,  went 
with  the  magistrates  to  visit  the  place  to 
which  the  plague-stricken  had  been  con- 
veyed. He  consoled  them,  provided 
for  their  spiritual  and  temporal  wants,  ' 
and  declared  that,  during  this  awful 
calamity,  nothing  should  separate  him 
from  his  flock,  for  whom  he  was 
prepared  to  lay  down  his  life  if  necessary. 

His  council  sought  to  persuade  him  that 
the  interests  of  his  diocese  demanded  that 
he  should  take  great  care  of  a life  so  pre- 
cious as  his,  and  consequently  that  he 
should  remove  to  a distance  from  the 
scene  of  the  pestilence.  But  lie  yielded 
not  to  such  representations.  Far  other- 
wise ; he  maintained  that  it  was  the  duty 
[281 


TILE  LIFE  OF  8T.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

of  a bishop  to  give  his  life  for  his  flock, 
and  that  he  could  not  fly  from  it  in  time 
of  danger  without  violating  his  solemn 
obligations.  The  council  admitted  that 
this  was  the  most  perfect  conduct.  u And,” 
said  the  Archbishop,  “ is  not  a bishop 
bound  to  choose  that  which  is  most  per- 
fect r 

The  holy  prelate  commanded  public 
prayers  in  order  to  appease  the  divine 
wrath,  and  offered  himself  as  a victim  to 
God,  particularly  in  a procession,  during 
which  he  walked  with  unshod  feet,  and  a 
halter  round  his  neck.  Heaven  heard  his 
supplications,  and  the  scourge,  which  had 
lasted  four  months,  diminished  its  rav- 
ages in  November,  and  ceased  entirely  at 
the  commencement  of  the  following  year. 
He  now  gave  solemn  thanksgiving  for  the 
cessation  of  the  plague,  and  ordered  pub- 
lic prayers  to  be  offered  during  three  days 
1291 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

for  all  those  who  had  been  swept  into  the 
grave  by  this  awful  visitation. 

The  Saint  went  occasionally  to  Carnal- 
doli  and  other  places  to  make  his  re- 
treats. The  place,  however,  that  had 
greatest  charms  for  him  was  Mount  Va- 
ralli,  situated  in  the  diocese  of  Novara,  on 
the  Swiss  frontiers.  The  mysteries  of  the 
Passion  are  there  represented  in  various 
chapels,  the  architecture  of  which  is  great- 
ly admired,  as  is  also  that  of  the  church, 
which  belongs  to  the  Franciscans.  He 
went  thither  in  the  year  1584,  with  Father 
Adorno,  who  was  to  give  him  the  sub- 
jects of  his  meditations,  and  to  hear  his 
annual  general  confession.  He  had  fore- 
told that  the  time  of  his  death  was  ap* 
proaching;  and,  being  now  full  of  thd 
thought  that  he  was  soon  to  be  united 
for  ever  with  his  God,  he  redoubled  his 
fervor,  austerities,  and  other  pious  exer- 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHAELE3  BOEEOMEO. 

cises.  This  retreat  was  for  him  a sweet 
meditation  on  the  last  moment  that  unites 
the  just,  and  the  object  of  all  his  earnest 
desires.  Thus  did  he  now  seem  to  be 
more  than  ever  absorbed  in  God,  and  de- 
tached from  all  the  things  of  earth.  Dur- 
ing the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  he  was 
often  obliged  to  pause,  owing  to  the  plen- 
teous tears  that  streamed  from  his  eyes. 
Some  time  afterwards,  a bishop  deposed 
that  he  saw  him.  one  day  at  the  altar 
enveloped  in  a blaze  of  celestial  light — - 
happy  presage  of  the  glory  with  which 
he  was  soon  to  be  crowned  in  heaven. 

The  Saint  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
time  in  the  chapel  called  “the  Sepulchre.” 
There  he  died,  as  it  were,  with  his  Saviour, 
by  a complete  renouncement  of  self ; and 
there  he  earnestly  prayed  that  everything 
earthly  in  him  might  be  destroyed  by  the 
death  of  the  Son  of  God. 

[31] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

On  the  2 2d  of  October,  he  was  seized 
with  a tertian  fever  of  which  he  never 
said  a word. 

On  the  26th,  he  had  a second  attack, 
and  by  command  of  Father  Adorno  he 
abridged  his  prayers.  He  then  consented 
to  have  a little  straw  laid  on  the  plank 
which  served  him  for  a bed.  He  likewise 
consented  to  take  a little  nourishment, 
such  as  his  state  required.  On  the  fifth 
day  of  his  retreat,  he  prayed  for  five  hours 
kneeling,  and  with  such  extraordinary  fer- 
vor that  he  was  unconscious  of  the  length 
of  the  time.  He  then  made  his  general 
confession,  and  on  the  next  day,  October 
29,  he  set  out  for  Arona. 

Although  it  was  night,  he  crossed  the 
lake,  in  order  to  put  the  last  hand  to 
the  foundation  of  a college  in  that  town, 
and,  having  despatched  this  business,  he 
slept  in  the  boat.  Next  day  he  repaired 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHAKLES  B0EE0ME0. 


to  Arona,  and,  as  it  was  the  Vigil  of  All 
Saints,  lie  fasted  as  usual.  Instead  of 
lodging  in  the  castle,  as  Rene  Borromeo, 
his  kinsman,  requested  him,  he  went  to 
the  house  of  the  Jesuits,  where  he  spent 
the  night  tranquilly. 

At  two  o’clock  in  the  morning,  he  arose 
from  his  bed  to  pray.  He  then  confessed, 
according  to  his  custom,  and  celebrated 
the  holy  sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  The  medi- 
cal men  forbade  him  to  go  out,  because 
the  fever  was  still  on  him.  All  the  reme- 
dies administered  had  an  effect  quite  the 
contrary  of  what  was  expected.  The 
fever  increased  and  became  confirmed. 

On  All  Saints’  Day,  he  caused  himself  to 
be  carried  in  a litter  to  Milan,  and  there 
the  fever  assumed  such  a malignant  type 
that  the  medical  men  despaired  of  him. 
He  heard  this  with  immovable  calmness, 
and  demanded  the  sacraments  of  the 
T33] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

Church,  which  he  received  with  his  usual 
fervor.  He  expired  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  night  of  the  4th  of  Novem- 
ber, with  these  words  on  his  lips  : “ Ecce 
venio  ” — Behold  I come.  Before  his  de- 
cease, he  chose  as  the  place  of  his  sepul- 
ture a vault  near  the  choir  of  his  cathe- 
dral, nor  would  he  have  any  epitaph  save 
the  one  which  to  this  day  may  be  read  on 
a modest  marble  slab.  It  runs  thus  : 

CHARLES,  CARDINAL  OF  ST.  PRAXEDE, 
ARCHBISHOP  OF  MILAN, 

CHOSE  THIS  TOMB  DURING  HIS  LIFETIME, 

AND  NOW  IMPLORES  THE  PRAYERS  OF 
THE  PEOPLE  AND  THE  DEVOUT  SEX. 

The  following  addition  was  made  sub- 
sequently : “ He  lived  forty-six  years  one 
month  and  one  day ; he  governed  this 
Church  twenty-four  years  eight  months 
[34] 


THE  LITE  OF  ST  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 

and  twenty-four  days,  and  died  November 
4,  584.” 

In  1610,  the  venerable  Archbishop  was 
solemnly  canonized  by  Pope  Paul  the 
Fifth.  His  relics  were  enshrined  in  a 
magnificent  subterranean  chapel  built 
cinder  the  cupola  of  the  great  Cathedral 
of  Milan.  The  altar  of  this  chapel  is  of 
massive  silver,  and  the  greater  part  of 
the  vault  is  covered  with  plates  of  the 
same  metal;  it  is  lighted  by  a great  num- 
ber of  gold  and  silver  lamps,  which  ai;e 
kept  burning  night  and  day.  Vast  num 
bers  of  pilgrims  resort  to  this  shrine.  Let 
us  now  hear  a celebrated  Italian  poet 
describing  his  sensations  while  making 
this  pilgrimage: 

“ The  history  of  Charles,  the  worthy 
pastor  of  Lombardy,  is  no  worthless 
legend.  It  is  but  yesterday  that  he  was 
living,  and  the  land  that  saw  him  still 
T35] 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORKOMEO. 

bears  the  impress  of  his  feet.  Under  the 
gigantic  temple  of  Milan,  a chapel  con- 
tains h’is  sacred  relics.  Thither  goes  the 
devout  pilgrim  to  bewail  the  sins  he  has 
committed,  assured  that  no  one  has  ever 
wept  there  in  vain  ; he  then  retraces  his 
steps  homewards,  full  of  hope  ; and  many 
a one  can  tell  how  perverse  hearts  have 
been  converted  within  that  holy  vault. 

“ And  I descended  into  that  chapel, 
sometimes  doubting  almost  the  existence 
of  God ; there,  all  alone,  I wept  for  many 
an  hour  under  the  weight  of  terrible 
passions,  and  there  I saw  poor  creatures, 
overwhelmed  with  physical  evils,  descend- 
ing the  stairs,  prostrating  themselves  be- 
fore the  body  of  the  Saint,  and  beseech- 
ing his  glorified  soul.  . Oh ! how  I envied 
them  their  faith  ! I felt  the  tears  welling 
up  in  my  eyes ; I blushed  for  that  crimi- 
nal folly  that  is  too  often  concealed 
[36] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMEO. 


under  the  mask  of  intelligence ; there  I 
saw  brilliantly  before  my  eyes  all  the 
beauty  of  a religion  which  can  elevate  a 
man  so  high,  and  I prayed,  and  immedi- 
ately became  conscious  of  a greater  faith. 

“ O Charles  ! I am  nothing,  but  I have 
learned  to  honor  thee;  I know  thy  po- 
tency with  the  Lord,  and  I bow  myself 
before  thy  tomb.  My  heart  is  exalted 
by  thinking  of  thee.  O Charles ! hear 
my  prayer ; may  my  inflamed  groanings 
find  an  advocate  in  thee  ! Grant  that  1 
may  ardently  love  works  of  justice,  and 
that  I may  one  day  see  thee  in  the  bosom 
of  eternity. 

a O Charles  ! protect  Lombardy  and  all 
Italy ; nay,  and  every  heart  that  sends  a 
prayer  to  thee ; watch  over  us  like  a 
father,  and  in  every  danger  nerve  the 
arms  of  thy  children,  and  grant  them 
victory” 

prj 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  CHARLES  BORROMB0. 

PRAYER. 

Great  Saint,  model  of  bishops  and 
glory  of  the  priesthood,  protect  us  by  thy 
powerful  intercession,  and  obtain  for  us 
pastors  worthy  of  their  mission.  May 
they,  like  thee,  have  no  other  thought 
and  no  other  desire  than  God’s  glory  I 


- 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 


'T'HOMAS  OF  AQUINO  was  one  of 
those  saints  whom  Providence  caus- 
es to  be  born  in  the  midst  of  riches  and 
greatness,  but  who,  far  from  allowing 
themselves  to  become  a prey  to  the  illu- 
sions which  riches  create,  preferred  to  live 
in  poverty,  humiliations,  and  holy  obe- 
dience. In  the  eyes  of  the  world,  they 
were  fools;  but,  oh!  how  transcendent  is 
their  wisdom  when  seen  with  the  eyes  of 
faith ! 

St.  Thomas  belonged  to  the  illustrious 
family  of  the  lords  of  Aquino,  a territory 

PI 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQULNO. 


in  the  kingdom  of  Naples.  The  illustrious 
family  from  which  he  sprang  derived 
their  origin  from  a Lombard  prince. 
They  were  of  the  kindred  of  the  kings  of 
Sicily,  Arragon,  and  France.  They  were 
likewise  allied  to  many  of  the  other 
European  sovereigns.  The  grandfather  of 
the  Saint  espoused  the  sister  of  the  Em- 
peror Frederic  the  First. 

The  father  of  Thomas  was  Landulfo, 
Lord  of  Aquino,  Loretto,  and  Belcastro. 
His  mother,  Theodora,  belonged  to  a noble 
family,  and  Thomas  was  born  towards 
the  decline  of  the  year  1226. 

From  his  earliest  childhood,  it  was 
manifest  that  Heaven  had  destined  him 
for  something  great.  The  unruffled  calm- 
ness of  his  soul,  his  exemption  from  all  the 
petty  passions  of  children,  and  the  delight 
he  experienced  in  speaking  of  God,  and 
directing  all  his  thoughts  and  actions  to 
[2] 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUIKO. 

him,  surprised  all  those  who  were 
familiar  with  this  child  of  predestina- 
tion. 

He  was  barely  five  years  of  age  when 
his  father  placed  him  under  the  guidance 
of  the  monks  of  Monte  Cassino,  who  were 
appointed  to  initiate  him  in  the  rudiments 
of  religion  and  science.  The  rapidity  of 
his  progress  astonished  his  masters. 
Amongst  all  their  scholars  there  was  no 
one  blessed  with  greater  talents  or  pro- 
mising a more  glorious  future. 

The  youthful  Thomas  had  not  attained 
his  tenth  year  when  the  abbot  of  Monte 
Cassino  advised  his  father  to  send  him  to 
some  university.  The  Lord  of  Aquino 
consented  to  the  suggestion  ; but,  before 
sending  his  child  away,  he  caused  him  to 
spend  some  months  with  his  mother  in 
the  Castle  of  Loretto,  a place  which,  less 
than  a century  later,  became  so  celebrat* 
131 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 


eel  "by  reason  of  the  “ Holy  House  ” which 
was  translated  thither  by  angels. 

Thomas  spoke  little,  and  never  said  a 
word  that  was  not  fraught  with  import- 
ant meaning ; always  absorbed  in  thoughts 
of  God,  he  seemed  never  to  lose  sight  of 
his  presence.  Festivities  and  pageants 
had  no  charms  for  him,  for  his  soul  was 
entirely  occupied  by  God  and  the  glories 
of  heaven.  His  charity  to  the  poor  was 
exhaustless;  often  and  often  would  he 
plead  their  cause  before  his  father,  who, 
having  discovered  that  he  deprived  him- 
self of  food  in  order  to  solace  their 
miseries,  permitted  him  to  distribute 
most  copious  alms.  Our  Saint  availed 
himself  largely  of,  this  permission  during 
the  few  months  he  passed  in  the  Castle  of 
Loretto. 

Theodora,  who  was  good  and  pious, 
and  fondly  devoted  to  her  child,  proposed 
M 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 


that  he  should  continue  to  prosecute  his 
studies  under  the  paternal  roof ; but  his 
father  thought  otherwise.  He  preferred 
the  public  school  to  the  private,  knowing 
well  that  emulation  is  a great  element  in 
education.  He  therefore  resolved  to  send 
Thomas  to  Naples,  where  the  Emperor 
Frederic  the  Second  had  founded  a uni- 
versity in  1224.  This  prince,  wishing  to 
destroy  the  University  of  Bologna,  a city 
which  had  become  hostile  to  him,  would 
not  suffer  any  of  his  subjects  to  be  educa- 
ted outside  his  own  dominions.  Naples, 
therefore,  was  resorted  to  by  vast  multi- 
tudes of  students,  but  they  brought  so 
much  corruption  with  them  that  one 
might  say  of  the  Neopolitan  school  what 
St.  Augustine  said  of  that  of  Carthage. 

Seeing  the  many  temptations  with 
which  his  path  was  strewn,  Thomas 
understood  the  dangers  by  which  he  was 
[5] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 


environed,  and,  as  -his  thoughts  went  hack 
to  the  seclusion  of  Monte  Cassino,  he  re- 
gretted having  left  that  holy  asylum  of 
learning.  Oh!  hew  gladly  would  he 
kave  renounced  the  gaiety  and  splendoi 
of  Naples  for  the  sweet  peace  of  the 
monastery  in  which  his  infancy  was  so 
happily  spent ! But  as  it  was  not  in  his 
power  to  return  to  that  dear  spot,  he 
put  all  his  trust  in  God.  His  love  of 
heavenly  things  grew  stronger  day  by 
day,  and  so  persevering  was  he  in  all 
pious  exercises,  and  so  vigilantly  did  he 
guard  his  heart,  that  he  escaped  the  in- 
fection of  the  poisonous  atmosphere  in 
which  he  had  to  live.  He  made  a com- 
pact with  his  eyes  never  to  look  on  dan- 
gerous or  sinful  objects.  He  studiously 
shunned  all  acquaintance  with  persons  of 
every  condition  whose  virtue  was  suspect- 
ed ; and,  whilst  his  fellow-students  were 
[6] 


TILE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUTIfO. 

hastening  to  worldly  amusements,  he 
either  betook  himself  to  some  church  to 
commune  with  his  God,  or  retired  to  his 
closet  to  pray  before  the  crucifix.  Oh  ! 
what  a consoling  spectacle  is  that  present- 
ed by  a youth  who  struggles  to  keep 
himself  pure  in  the  midst  of  corruption ! 
O ye  young  and  old  who  peruse  this 
page,  is  not  innocence  of  heart  and  the 
sweet  peace  with  which  religion  fills  the 
soul  far  preferable  to  the  vain,  remorse- 
ful pleasures  of  this  sinful  world  ? 

Thomas  studied  rhetoric  under  the  far- 
famed  Peter  Martin.  As  to  philosophy, 
lie  studied  it  under  Peter  of  Ireland,  one 
of  the  most  learned  men  of  his  age.  So 
rapid  was  his  progress  that  he  was  able 
to  repeat  the  lectures  given  in  public 
with  precision  and  clearness,  far  surpass- 
ing the  elucidation  of  his  masters. 

But  his  application  to  study  never  in- 
17] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TIIOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

terrupted  his  exercises  of  piety.  As  he 
progressed  in  the  science  of  the  saints,  so 
did  he  advance  in  human  sciences.  His 
fervor  at  prayer  grew  more  intense  every 
day,  and  his  dearest  delight  was  to  hold 
constant  communication  with  God.  May 
not  he  who  possesses  an  earnest  and 
generous  soul  find  time  for  all  things — 
time  for  labor  and  time  for  prayer  ? 

Thomas  was  always  delighted  to  be 
able  to  relieve  the  poor,  and  his  heart 
was  always  ready  to  make  any  sacrifices 
for  them.  He  often  deprived  himself  of 
necessaries  to  assist  them,  and  the  alms 
he  bestowed  were  all  the  more  meritori- 
ous as  God  alone  was  the  witness  to  them. 
He  conformed  himself  to  the  Gospel 
maxim  which  tells  the  left  hand  not  to 
know  what  the  right  hand  does. 

The  disciples  of  the  great  St.  Dominic, 
who  had  died  about  twenty-two  years 
[8J 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQTTIHO. 

before,  were  then  the  most  distinguished 
ornaments  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Thomas  had  had  various  interviews  with 
one  of  that  great  Order,  who  was  filled 
with  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  instructions 
which  he  received  from  him  increased  the 
contempt  that  he  had  long  since  conceiv- 
ed for  all  perishable  things  of  earth.  His 
fervor  grew  every  day  more  vigorous,  and 
the  divine  fire  burned  still  more  brilliant- 
ly in  his  heart.  This  sacred  flame  acted 
so  vividly  within  him  that  one  day,  while 
praying,  his  features  shone  with  heavenly 
radiance. 

At  last,  becoming  totally  disgusted 
with  the  world,  he  resolved  to  carry  out 
his  heart’s  dearest  wish,  and  embrace  the 
institute  of  St.  Dominic.  On  hearing 
this,  his  father  employed  promises  and 
threats  to  prevent  the  execution  of  his 
design ; but  all  his  efforts  were  unavail 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TIIOMAS  OF  AQUINO 

ing.  Thomas,  wlio  knew  that  he  should 
not  listen  to  flesh  and  blood  when  God’s 
voice  is  to  be  heard,  persevered  in  his 
determination,  and  took  the  Dominican 
habit  at  Naples,  a.d.  1243,  in  the  seven- 
teenth year  of  his  age. 

The  intelligence  of  this  fact  came  like 
a thunderclap  to  the  family  of  Aquino. 
The  mother  of  our  Saint  was  sorely  griev- 
ed at  it,  and  she  at  once  set  out  for  Na- 
ples, with  the  hope  of  being  able  to  bring 
back  her  loved  son  to  the  world  which 
he  had  left.  Happily  for  Thomas,  he 
was  informed  of  his  mother’s  intentions, 
and  he  therefore  besought  the  Superiors  to 
remove  him  from  Naples.  This  he  deemed 
necessary  to  avoid  altercations  with  his 
parent.  The  Superiors  adopted  his  views, 
and  forthwith  sent  him  to  the  Convent 
of  St.  Sabina,  at  Rome.  Hence  he  was 
to  proceed  to  Paris ; but  his  parents, 
[10] 


4 " — 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

being  made  aware  of  his  route,  despatch- 
ed his  brothers  Landulfo  and  Rainaldo, 
who  were  serving  in  Tuscany  in  the  army 
of  the  Emperor  Frederic  II.,  to  intercept 
him.  Such  was  their  vigilance  on  the 
highroads  that  they  arrested  Thomas 
near  the  town  of  Aqua-Pendente.  They 
entreated  him  to  cast  off  the  holy  habit 
that  he  wore,  but  the  young  novice  de- 
clared that  nothing  in  the  world  could 
induce  him  to  do  so.  They  then  con- 
ducted him,  dressed  in  the  religious  habit, 
to  Rocca-Sicca,  a castle  belonging  to  their 
family. 

His  mother  was  now  satisfied,  for  her 
son  was  with  her,  and  she  thought  that 
time  would  cause  him  to  forego  his  re- 
solve.  To  turn  him  from  his  purpose, 
she  employed  every  species  of  argument 
and  reasoning.  She  strove  to  persuade 
him  that  he  had  not  acted  according  to 

nn 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

the  designs  of  Providence.  “ You  have 
♦disposed  of  your  liberty,”  said  she,  “ with- 
out tbe  consent  of  your  parents.  In 
vain  will  you  allege  the  vocation  of 
Heaven,  for  that  cannot  be  opposed 
to  the  law  which  binds  children  to 
obey  their  parents.”  To  such  reasonings 
as  these  she  added  tears  and  caress- 
es, thinking — ah  ! how  foolishly  ! — that 
they  should  thus  have  double  force.  In 
such  circumstances  as  these,  every  one 
knows  that  nature  is  ingenious  and  elo- 
quent; but,  oh  ! how  great  was  the  straggle 
in  the  heart  of  young  Thomas ! Never- 
theless, even  though  his  mother’s  heart 
were  to  break  of  grief,  he  persevered  in 
his  resolution,  and  answered  all  her  argu- 
ments with  firmness  and  respect.  He  told 
her  that  he  had  considered  the  matter 
maturely,  that  his  vocation  came  from 
God,  and  that  he  was  determined  to 
[121 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO 

follow  ifc,  cost  him  what  it  might.  His 
perseverance  awakened  his  mother’s 
anger ; her  supplications  were  turned  into 
bitter  reproaches,  and  she  ordered  him  to 
be  closely  guarded  in  the  castle,  so 
much  so  that  his  two  sisters  were  not 
allowed  to  approach  him  or  speak  to  him. 

But  these  were  not  the  only  assaults  he 
had  to  contend  against.  His  two  sisters 
now  attacked  his  constancy  with  every 
sort  of  insinuating  tenderness,  and  they 
represented  vividly  to  him  the  desolation 
of  a mother  whom  nothing  could  console. 
The  Saint  replied  in  language  which  de- 
nounced the  vanities  of  the  world,  and  ex- 
tolled virtue.  On  these  subjects  he  spoke 
with  such  eloquence  and  energy  that  at 
length  the  sisters  were  deeply  impressed 
by  his  observations.  Thenceforth  they 
took  his  part,  and  did  all  they  could  to 

alleviate  his  captivity. 

[13] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 


Meanwhile,  Lanclulfo  and  Rainaldo  had 
returned  from  the  army.  On  their  arri- 
val, they  found  their  mother  overwhelmed 
with  affliction,  and  Thomas  as  unshaken 
as  before.  Not  hoping  to  bring  about 
any  change  in  his  resolve,  they  grew  in- 
dignant, and  tore  the  religious  habit  into 
pieces.  After  subjecting  him  to  countless 
outrages,  they  imprisoned  him  in  the  J 
tower  of  their  castle. 

A year  had  now  passed  over  the  cap- 
tive in  the  prison  of  Rocca-Sicca,  where 
his  only  consolation  was  prayer  and  hope 
in  that  God  for  whose  love  he  had  endur- 
ed so  many  tribulations.  Pope  Innocent 
IV.  and  the  Emperor  Frederic  II.,  being 
informed  of  this  persecution,  interested 
themselves  on  behalf  of  Thomas,  and,  after 
they  had  communicated  with  his  mother 
and  brothers,  they  began  to  treat  him 
with  more  consideration.  The  mother  now 
[141 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

seemed  disposed  to  favor  Lis  escape,  and 
the  Dominicans  of  Naples,  being  informed 
of  her  disposition,  resolved  to  avail  them- 
selves of  it.  They  therefore  sent  to  the 
castle  of  Rocca-Sicca  some  of  tlieir  breth- 
ren in  disguise,  and  at  an  appointed  hour, 
the  sisters,  who  were  in  concert  with  them, 
lowered  Thomas  in  a basket  from  the 
window  of  the  tower.  The  Dominicans 
joyfully  received  him  into  their  arms,  and 
conducted  him  to  their  convent. 

Thomas  made  his  profession  in  the  fol- 
lowing year.  It  was  one  of  the  happiest 
days  of  his  life,  for  he  then  was  able  to 
surrender  bis  entire  liberty  to  God  alone. 
Oh  ! through  what  tribulations  had  he  to 
go  before  making  his  profession — over  how 
many  obstacles  had  he  to  pass ! But 
God  had  protected  his  servant,  and  he 
now  thanked  him.  God  had  rendered 
his  path  smooth  and  easy — that  path 
[15] 


THE  LIFE  OF  8T.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

which  the  world  had  made  painful.  On 
that  day,  he  made  the  long  wished-for 
sacrifice;  he  could  now  call  himself  a poor 
religious  of  the  Order  of  St.  Dominic,  and 
a true  disciple  of  Jesus  Christ.  Thus 
went  by  that  happiest  of  days  in  the  exer- 
cises of  tenderest  devotion  and  most 
heartfelt  thanksgivings  to  Heaven. 

Meanwhile,  his  father  and  mother  were 
greatly  vexed  on  learning  of  his  profession. 
They  attributed  bad  motives  to  him,  and 
laid  their  complaint  before  the  Holy  See. 
The  Pope  immediately  sent  persons  to  ex- 
amine the  young  novice,  and  see  if  he  had 
a vocation  for  the  religious  state.  His 
answers  fully  satisfied  the  Sovereign 
Pontiff,  who  admired  his  virtues,  and,  far 
from  blaming,  encouraged  him  to  perse 
vere  in  the  state  of  life  that  he  had  em- 
braced. Thus  terminated  the  persecu- 
tions of  hi?  family,  who  thenceforth  never 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

interfered  with  him,  and  left  him  to  his 
holy  calling. 

The  General  of  the  Dominicans,  cen- 
tring all  his  hopes  in  the  young  professed, 
sent  him  to  Cologne  to  attend  the  theo- 
logical lectures  which  Albert  the  Great 
was  then  giving.  Under  this  wonderful 
master,  he  made  extraordinary  progress ; 
but  in  order  to  conceal  his  vast  know- 
ledge from  his  fellow-scholars,  he  con- 
demned himself  to  profound  silence — so 
much  so  that  they  taxed  him  with  stu- 
pidity. In  derision  they  termed  him  a 
“ dumb  ox,”  or  “ the  great  Sicilian  ox.” 
In  fact,  on  one  occasion  a fellow-scholar 
undertook  to  explain  the  lecture  to  him, 
in  order  to  facilitate  his  understanding  it. 
Thomas  accepted  the  offer  with  lively 
gratitude,  although  he  was  then  in  a po- 
sition to  teach  ; but  God  takes  delight  in 
glorifying  his  servants  in  proportion  to 
[17] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

their  avoidance  of  esteem  and  praise.  He 
subsequently  developed  in  his  servant  a 
rare  beauty  of  intellect,  singular  penetra- 
tion, and  profound  knowledge,  joined  to 
the  most  solid  judgment.  When  ques- 
tioned by  Albert  on  some  very  obscure 
matters,  he  replied  with  so  much  clear- 
ness that  the  whole  auditory  were  filled 
with  admiration.  Albert  himself,  in  a 
transport  of  joy,  exclaimed:  “We  call 
Thomas  a dumb  ox;  but  he  will  one  day 
bellow  so  loudly  by  his  learning  that  he 
shall  be  heard  throughout  the  universe.’’ 
Such  a flattering  eulogium  excited  no  mo- 
tion  of  vanity  in  the  Saint.  Thenceforth 
there  was  no  change  manifested  in  his  ex- 
terior conduct,  because  there  was  none 
in  his  interior.  He  was  always  remark- 
able for  the  same  modesty,  simplicity, 
recollectedn  ess,  love  of  retirement,  silence, 
and  prayer.  Always  sensible  of  the 
1.181 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

greatness  of  God  and  of  liis  own  nothing’ 
ness,  he  was  totally  indifferent  to  con- 
tempt and  laudations. 

As  soon  as  Albert  was  sent  to  teach 
theology  at  Paris  in  the  convent  of  St. 
James,  then  belonging  to  the  Dominicans, 
Thomas  got  orders  to  follow  him  and  con- 
tinue his  studies. 

Arrived  at  Paris,  he  displayed  the  most 
astonishing  amount  of  knowledge.  Here 
he  was  admired  as  much  for  his  virtues 
as  for  his  learning.  The  severe  study  of 
theology  brought  no  aridity  to  his  soul. 
Thomas  always  studied  in  the  presence 
and,  as  it  were,  under  the  eye  of  God. 
Burning  with  love  of  him,  even  while  his 
brain  was  at  work,  he  would  frequently 
pour  out  the  holiest  aspirations;  and, 
whensoever  difficult  questions  presented 
themselves,  he  counted  not  on  his  own 
intellect  for  their  solution,  but  on  him 
ri91 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

from  whom  all  knowledge  cometk.  This 
method  was  most  effective — so  much  so 
that  he  was  accustomed  to  say:  “I  have 
learned,  in  presence  of  the  altars  and  of 
the  crucifix,  far  more  than  I could  ever 
know  from  books.” 

St.  Thomas  was  humble,  and,  because 
he  was  humble,  he  practised  perfect  obe- 
dience. We  will  here  give  one  instance 
of  this : One  day,  while  reading  in  the 
refectory,  the  corrector  erroneously  ob- 
served to  him  that  he  had  mispronounced 
a word.  The  Saint  then  adopted  the 
pronunciation  of  the  corrector.  After 
dinner,  some  of  the  brethren  told  him 
that  he  should  not  have  done  so,  as  the 
corrector  was  wrong.  To  this  he  replied, 
“It  matters  little  whether  a word  be  pro- 
nounced this  way  or  that,  but  it  is  of 
great  importance  to  a religious  to  practise 
obedience  and  humility.”  It  is  also  re* 
m 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQTJINO. 

lated  of  our  Saint  that  he  was  so  morti- 
fied in  the  senses  that  he  took  his  food 
without  giving  the  slightest  heed  to  the 
viands  laid  on  the  table;  nay,  that  he 
often  got  up  from  the  table  unconscious 
of  what  he  had  been  eating. 

In  1248,  he  was  appointed  by  the 
General  Chapter  of  the  Dominicans  to 
teach  at  Cologne  with  Albert  the  Great. 
He  there  equalled  the  high  reputation  of 
his  old  master,  although  but  twenty-two 
years  of  age.  The  time  was  now  ap- 
proaching in  which  he  was  to  receive 
holy  orders,  and  he  therefore  prepared 
himself  by  redoubling  his  fervor,  and  by 
all  the  exercises  of  the  tenderest  piety. 
He  passed  many  days  and  a good  part 
of  the  night  at  the  foot  of  the  altar, 
wThere  he  poured  forth  acts  of  the  most 
profound  adoration,  and  abandoned  him- 
self to  transports  of  the  tenderest  joy  at 
[21] 


I 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

sight  of  God’s  immense  love  for  man. 
When  ordained  priest,  lie  at  the  altar 
resembled  an  angel  more  than  a man. 
No  one  could  see  him  celebrating  with- 
out being  penetrated  with  devotion, 
which  seemed  to  communicate  itself  to 
all  those  who  assisted  at  the  holy  Sacri- 
fice. Ilis  countenance,  radiant  with  hea- 
venly lustre,  revealed  the  charity  with 
which  his  soul  was  consumed.  The  very 
altar  was  bedewed  with  his  tears.  Oh  ! 
how  wonderful  was  the  intensity  of  his 
fervor  after  he  had  received  the  body  and 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ ! The  faithful  who 
were  then  present  unconsciously  shed 
tears,  and,  when  the  Mass  was  ended,  he 
either  served  or  heard  another  by  way  of 
thanksgiving. 

Our  Saint  having  been  charged  to  an- 
nounce the  Word  of  God,  he  performed 
this  duty  with  admirable  unction.  A 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

holy  ardor  exhaled  from  his  soul ; he  was 
listened  to,  say  the  historians  of  his  life, 
as  though  he  were  an  angel  descended 
from  heaven.  His  sermons  produced 
multitudinous  conversions.  Cologne, 
Paris,  Rome,  and  some  other  cities  of 
Italy,  were  the  principal  theatres  of  his 
zeal.  The  loving  interest  that  he  took 
in  the  salvation  of  his  neighbor  induced 
him  to  toil  zealously  for  the  sinner,  and, 
when  they  hearkened  to  his  exhortations, 
they  were  sure  to  walk  in  the  narrow 
way  that  leads  to  eternal  life. 

His  eldest  sister  consecrated  herself  to 
God  in  the  monastery  of  St.  Mary,  at 
Capua,  where  she  died  an  abbess.  Theo- 
dora, his  second  sister,  who  married  the 
Lord  of  Marsico,  passed  the  remainder 
of  her  life  in  a most  exemplary  manner, 
and  slept  the  sleep  of  the  just.  Her 
mother  expiated  the  faults  which  over- 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 


weening-  fondness  caused  her  to  commit 
by  every  sort  of  good  work,  and  termi- 
nated her  career  in  the  most  saintly  man- 
ner. As  to  his  two  brothers,  Landulfo 
and  Kainaldo,  they  had  the  happiness  of 
dying  most  exemplary  Christians. 

The  abilities  and  learning  of  St.  Tho- 
mas were  now  spoken  of  throughout  the 
world.  Having  been  sent  to  teach  theo- 
logy  at  Paris  in  1252,  a countless  multi- 
tude of  students  hastened  to  hear  him. 
On  the  21st  of  October,  1257,  he  received 
the  degree  of  doctor,  although  then  only 
thirty-one  years  of  age. 

In  the  following  year,  when  the  profes- 
sors of  the  University  of  Paris  had  some 
difference  of  opinion  on  a question  con- 
cerning the  most  Holy  Sacrament,  they 
resolved  to  consult  Thomas,  and  abide  by 
his  decision.  This,  surely,  was  a grand 
acknowledgment  of  the  esteem  in  which 
[24] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

they  held  the  young  doctor;  but  Lis 
humility  equalled  his  intellectual  acquire- 
ments, and  he  set  little  value  on  the  good 
or  bad  opinions  which  men  formed  of 
him.  He  depended  altogether  on  God 
for  the  lights  necessary  to  solve  this  and 
every  other  question,  and  he  sought  these 
lights  on  bended  knees  before  the  crucifix. 
In  a work  which  he  has  left  us,  he  treat- 
ed this  question  in  such  a superior  manner 
that  every  one  adopted  his  decision. 

The  learned  paid  the  highest  tributes 
of  their  homage  to  his  vast  erudition,  and 
even  kings  esteemed  him.  St.  Louis  had 
so  much  confidence  in  his  judgment  that 
he  frequently  asked  his  advice  on  the 
most  important*  questions  of  the  state. 
Often  invited  to  the  royal  table,  he  found 
himself  constrained  to  bepresent  there  with 
the  great  ones  of  the  realm.  What  a 
happy  spectacle  is  there  not  presented  in 
[25] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 


the  person  of  tlie  Saint  going  out  of  his 
monastery  into  the  midst  of  a pious  court, 
and  there  diffusing  the  good  odor  of  Jesus 
Christ! 

The  historians  of  his  life  relate  the  fol- 
lowing instance  of  the  Saint’s  abstraction 
when  he  was  one  day  dining  at  the  table 
of  St.  Louis : 

He  had  been  for  some  time  engaged  in 
refuting  the  errors  of  the  Bulgarians  or 
new  Manicheans,  who  were  striving  to 
spread  their  heresy  in  Italy.  With  his 
head  full  of  this  important  subject,  and 
his  mind  buried  in  profoundest  medita- 
tions, he  suddenly  exclaimed,  as  if  in  a 
reverie : “ Yes,  yes ; that'  is  decisive  against 
the  Manicheans.”  The  prior,  who  accom- 
panied him,  having  told  him  to  consider 
wheie  he  was,  he  sought  to  repair  his 
fault  by  apologizing  to  the  king;  but  the 
good  prince,  far  from  evincing  any  dis- 
[26] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 


pleasure,  ordered  one  of  his  secretaries  to 
take  down  the  Saint’s  reasoning  on  paper, 
lest  the  argument  should  slip  from  hi3 
memory. 

In  1259,  Thomas  assisted  at  the  thirty- 
sixth  Chapter  of  the  Order,  which  was 
held  at  Valenciennes.  On  this  occasion, 
he  was  appointed,  with  others,  to  draw 
up  a rule  of  studies.  On  his  return  to 
Paris,  he  continued  to  give  theological 
lectures,  and  succeeded  in  winning  all 
hearts  by  his  modesty  and  affability. 

In  1261,  Pope  Urban  IV.,  who  was 
well  acquainted  with  the  eminent  merits 
of  our  Saint,  sent  him  an  invitation  to 
come  and  reside  at  Rome.  The  general 
of  the  order  appointed  him  to  teach  theo- 
logy in  the  Eternal  City,  where  the  Sove- 
reign Pontiff  was  anxious  to  raise  him  to 
the  highest  ecclesiastical  dignities.  These 
he  declined,  for  he  preferred  the  state  of  a 
[27] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

simple  religious  to  these  positions,  of 
which  men  would  be  less  desirous  if  they 
only  reflected  on  the  dangers  by  which 
they  are  environed.  All  that  the  Pope 
could  obtain  of  him  was  a promise  that 
be  would  not  remove  to  a distance  from 
his  person. 

Home  was  now  the  theatre  of  our  Saint’s 
preaching.  He  announced  the  Word  of 
God,  not  only  in  the  capital  of  the  Chris- 
tian world,  but  also  in  a great  number  of 
the  Italian  cities,  and  particularly  in  those 
where  the  Pontiff  resided.  In  fact,  he 
very  rarely  left  the  presence  of  Christ’s 
vicar. 

Preaching  at  Rome  on  Good  Friday,  so 
powerfully  impressive  was  his  language 
that  the  whole  auditory  burst  into  tears. 
In  fact,  he  was  accustomed  to  be  inter- 
rupted by  the  sobs  of  those  who  listened 
to  his  profound  and  pathetic  eloquence. 

[281 


THE  LIFE  OF  8T.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 


God  gave  benediction  to  tbe  tongue  of  bis 
chosen  servant,  and,  wheresoever  he  went, 
he  wrought  not  only  conversions,  but 
manifest  miracles.  Leaving  the  Church 
of  St.  Peter  one  day,  after  having  preach- 
ed, a woman  was  cured  of  a grievous 
malady  by  touching  the  hem  of  his  habit. 

In  1263,  our  Saint  assisted  at  the  for- 
tieth General  Chapter,  which  was  held  by 
the  Dominicans  at  London.  A short  time 
afterwards,  having  obtained  permission  to 
retire  from  the  chair  of  theology,  our 
Saint  once  more  commenced  the  life  of  a 
simple  religious — a life  for  which  he  longed 

ardentty. 

It  was  at  this  epoch,  and  at  the  earnest 
solicitation  of  St.  Raymond  de  Pennafort, 
that  Saint  Thomas  composed  the  great 
work  entitled  “The  Sum  of  Theology,’- 
a mighty  work,  truly,  and  which,  although 
unfinished,  is  quite  sufficient  to  establish 
[29] 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

the  reputation  of  its  author.  During  this 
interval,  he  also  produced  multitudinous 
works  on  philosophy  and  theology.  His 
complete  works  amount  to  eighteen  vol- 
umes in  folio. 

After  an  entire  life  spent  in  study,  sac- 
rifice^ and  labors  for  religion,  know  you 
what  was  the  Saint’s  demand?  . . 

Hearken  to  the  following  narrative  : 

One  day,  while  Thomas  was  praying 
before  his  crucifix,  he  was  thrown  into  an 
ecstasy  and  raised  to  a considerable  height 
above  the  floor.  Those  who  witnessed 
this  spectacle  were  less  struck  by  the 
ecstasy,  which  was  of  ordinary  occur- 
rence, than  by  the  miraculous  '/oice  that 
came  from  the  crucifix,  which  uttered 
these  words : u Thomas,  thou  hast  written 
well  of  me ; what  reward  dost  thou  de- 
sire?” To  this  Thomas  replied,  “No- 
thing except  thyself,  O Lord.” 

[30 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO 

Thomas  meanwhile  felt  that  his  health 
was  declining,  and  that  the  day  of  his  re- 
lease from  the  bonds  of  the  body  was  not 
far  off.  Abandoning  all  labor  of  writing, 
he  thought  now  of  nothing  but  eternity. 
He  therefore  devoted  all  his  time  to 
meditation  and  prayer.  His  dearest  con- 
solation was  to  kneel  before  the  Lord’s 
Tabernacle,  awaiting  the  blissful  moment 
when  he  was  to  be  admitted  to  the  joys 
of  heaven. 

But  Gregory  X.  took  him  from  his 
dear  retreat,  and  ordered  him  by  a special 
brief  to  repair  to  the  Council  which  was 
about  to  be  held  at  Lyons,  to  extinguish 
the  Greek  schism,  and  collect  means  for 
carrying  on  the  holy  war  against  the 
Turks.  The  Pope,  moreover,  ordered 
him  to  prepare  himself  to  defend  the 
Catholic  faith  in  presence  of  the  Greeks. 

Notwithstanding  the  feeble  state  of  our 
[31] 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  A $UTNO. 

Saint’s  health,  he  set  out  from  Naples,  hut 
he  was  not  able  to  travel  all  the  way  to 
Lyons  The  fatigues  of  the  journey  con- 
siderably increased  his  malady,  and  even 
before  leaving  Italy  he  was  attacked  so 
violently  by  fever  that  he  was  obliged  to 
halt  at  Fossa-Nuova,  a celebrated  abbey 
of  the  Cistercian  Order,  in  the  diocese  of 
Terracina. 

His  first  care  on  entering  the  abbey  was 
to  prostrate  himself  before  the  altar  of  the 
adorable  Sacrament.  This  abbey  was  to 
be  the  terminus  of  his  earthly  pilgrimage, 
and  of  this  he  was  informed  from  on  high. 
Oh  ! what  foretastes  of  heaven  were  now 
in  that  grand  soul  which  God  was  about 
to  take  to  himself ! “ Here,”  exclaimed  he, 
as  he  crossed  the  threshold  of  the  cloister, 
u is  the  place  where  this  worn  frame  shall 
rest.”  He  was  then  conducted  to  the 
apartment  of  the  abbot,  where  he  lay  sick 
[321 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

for  a month.  The  religious  were  indefa 
tigable  in  bestowing  every  mark  of  respect 
and  veneration  on  him.  They  rivalled 
each  other  in  their  pious  attentions,  and 
every  one  deemed  himself  peculiarly  pri- 
vileged at  being  allowed  to  minister  to  a 
man  whom  they  ail  regarded  as  an  angel 
clothed  with  a mortal  body. 

The  Saint  beheld  death  approaching 
with  rapid  pace,  and  yet  he  ceased  not  to 
sigh  for  the  advent  of  the  moment  in 
which  he  was  to  enter  into  the  glory  of 
the  Lord.  His  soul,  consumed  with 
heavenly  love,  ever  and  anon  poured 
out  such  aspirations  as  these:  “Yes, 
my  God ; I desire  thee  with  every  pulsa- 
tion of  my  heart : ah  ! come  speedily,  for 
I shall  begin  to  live  the  true  life,  O my 
God,  when  I am  filled  with  thee  and  thy 
love ; at  present  I am  a burden  to  myself 
because  as  yet  I am  not  full  of  thee  !,; 

[831 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

Oh ! was  it  not  blissful  to  listen  to  those 
strains  sung  by  the  holy  exile  ! Oh  ! how 
happy  is  the  death  of  the  saints  ! Oh ! 
how  blessed  is  a life  spent  in  faith,  hope, 
and  love ; and  how  joyfully,  if  we  pass 
our  mortal  term  thus,  may  we  hail  that 
moment  when  a single  step  can  bring  us 
into  possession  of  the  long  sighed- for  ob- 
ject of  our  desires ! 

The  religious  of  Fossa-Nuova  who  sur- 
rounded the  bed  of  St.  Thomas  besought 
him  to  leave  them  an  explanation  of  the 
Canticle  of  Canticles,  as.  St.  Bernard  had 
done  before  in  similar  circumstances. 
“ Give  me,”  said  he,  “ the  spirit  of  St. 
Bernard,  and  I will  undertake  what  you 
wish.”  Nevertheless,  he  acquiesced  in  their 
desires,  and  dictated  to  them  a short  ex- 
position of  the  mysterious  book.  This 
exposition  was  the  fruit  of  his  charity  ra- 
ther than  of  his  learning.  It  could  not 
[34] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

Lave  come  from  a soul  that  did  not  run 
after  the  perfumes  of  the  celestial  Spouse 
— of  a soul  that  yearned  to  break  the 
bonds  of  the  flesh,  in  order  to  be  merged 
in  the  bosom  of  the  Sovereign  Good. 

Meanwhile,  death  was  at  his  chamber- 
door.  So  overpowering  was  the  Saint’s 
feebleness  that  he  conjured  the  religious 
to  leave  him  to  himself,  in  order  that  he 
might  consecrate  entirely  to  God  the  few 
moments  remaining  to  him.  Alone  in  the 
presence  of  his  God,  he  poured  forth  acts 
inspired  by  the  lively  faith  that  always 
animated  him.  These  outpourings  of  his 
blessed  soul  could  not  but  be  acceptable 
to  that  God  who  was  about  to  bestow  on 
him  the  greatest  of  all  rewards — himself! 

To  the  Dominican  father  who  had  ac- 
companied him,  he  made  a confession  of 
his  whole  life,  and,  as  he  confessed,  he 
shed  abundant  tears.  Thomas  never 
[85] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

committed  a mortal  sin,  but,  like  all  tlie 
other  saints,  he  wept  over  his  slightest 
faults;  for  to  him  who  loves  much,  the 
slightest  fault  is  a crime  to  be  expiated 
by  tears.  Having  told  his  confessor  that 
he  thanked  God  for  having,  as  it  were, 
led  him  by  the  hand  through  life,  he 
added,  like  St.  Augustin,  that  he  was 
wholly  indebted  to  the  divine  mercy  for 
not  having  fallen  into  the  most  grievous 
crimes. 

As  soon  as  the  holy  doctor  had  receiv- 
ed absolution  with  all  the  sentiments  of  a 
true  penitent,  he  asked  for  the  Viaticum. 
"Whilst  the  abbot  and  community  were 
preparing  to  administer  the  body  and 
blood  of  the  Lord  to  him,  he  requested 
to  be  taken  from  his  bed  and  laid  on 
ashes,  in  order,  said  he,  that  I may  re- 
ceive Jesus  Christ  in  a becoming  manner. 

When  the  priest  approached  with  the 
[36] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 


divine  Eucharist,  the  Saint  joined  his 
hands,  and  pronounced  the  following 
words  in  a voice  that  moved  all  the  by- 
standers to  tears : “ I believe  firmly  that 
Jesus  Christ,  true  God  and  true  man, 
is  in  the  august  Sacrament.  I adore  thee, 

0 my  God  and  my  Saviour ! I receive 
thee  who  art  the  price  of  my  ransom  and 
the  viaticum  of  my  pilgrimage.  For  love 
of  thee  I have  taught,  preached,  and  toiled. 

1 hope  that  I have  not  advanced  anything 
contrary  to  thy  divine  Word,  or,  if  I have 
done  so  in  ignorance,  I publicly  retract  it, 
and  submit  all  my  writings  to  the  judg- 
ment of  the  holy  Roman  See.”  He  now 
grew  weaker,  and  was  laid  on  his  bed, 
when  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction 
was  administered  to  him. 

Oh  ! what  heavenly  lustre  then  shone  on 
ihe  features  of  the  man  of  God  who  was 
about  to  enter  into  the  joy  of  his  Lord  ! 

T371 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  THOMAS  OF  AQUIHO. 


With  eyes  immovably  fixed  on  heaven, 
he  constantly  gave  utterance  to  such  sen- 
timents as  these : “ Ah  ! come  speedily, 
thou  who  art  to  crown  all  my  desires — - 
come,  that  I may  drink  copiously  of  the 
torrent  of  thy  delights ! Come,  that  I 
may  contemplate  the  true  light  in  its 
essence,  which  is  the  source  of  life  ! ” 
When  the  religious  wept,  he  turned  his 
eyes  on  them,  and,  smiling,  said,  “ I have 
always  besought  God,  as  a particular 
favor,  to  allow  me  to  di^  in  the  condition 
of  a simple  religious,  and  I now  thank 
him  for  having  beard  me.  In  calling  me 
to  himself  at  so  early  a period  of  life,  he 
has  conferred  on  me  a favor  which  he  has 
refused  to  many  of  his  servants.  Ah  ! be 
not  downcast — I am  anxious  to  die  ! ” 

At  length,  having  thanked  the  abbot 
and  his  community,  for  their  kindness  to 
him,  he  prayed  for  a while,  and  then  fell 
[38] 


THE  LIFE  OF  8T.  THOMAS  OF  AQUIHO. 

asleep  in  the  Lord  March  7, 1274,  a little 
after  midnight.  He  had  attained  his  forty- 
eighth  year. 

Thousands  now  hastened  to  his  funeral 
obsequies,  and  many  miracles  were 
wrought  by  touching  the  objects  that  had 
belonged  to  him.  The  Universities  of 
Paris,  Home,  Naples,  and  of  other  cities 
memorialed  the  Holy  See  to  put  them  in 
possession  of  his  relics,  or  even  of  a por- 
tion of  his  body. 

Many  years  after  his  death,  the  body 
of  St.  Thomas  was  translated,  with  the 
consent  of  Urban  V.,  by  the  French 
Dominicans  to  Toulouse.  It  was  richly 
enshrined  in  this  city,  in  the  abbey-church 
of  his  illustrious  Order.  One  of  his  arms 
is  preserved  in  the  Church  of  Salerno,  and 
portions  of  his  relics  are  still  venerated  at 
Naples  and  in  Paris,  In  1567,  Pope  St. 
Pius  V.  ordered  his  festival  to  be  kept  as 

m 


r 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST,  THOMAS  OF  AQUINO. 

in  every  respect  equal  to  those  of  the  four 
great  doctors  of  the  Western  Church. 

The  kingdom  of  Naples  honors  St. 
Thomas  of  Aquino  as  its  chief  patron.  He 
was  canonized  by  John  XXII.,  in  1323. 

PRAYER. 

Great  Saint,  obtain  for  ns  some  of  those 
virtues  which  entitled  thee  to  heaven. 
Obtain  for  us,  above  all,  an  abiding  love 
of  that  Holy  Bread  without  which  we 
cannot  have  life  in  us. 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SA^TNT  JULIA, 

VIRGIN  AND  MARTYR. 


GENSERIC,  King  of  tlie  Vandals, 
having  conquered  all  Africa,  tiring  of  liis 
wars  against  men,  began  to  make  war  on 
God,  pillaging  the  churches,  exterminat- 
ing the  Catholics,  and  establishing 
Arianism  by  fire,  sword,  and  the  most 
revolting  barbarities.  Carthage  fell  a 
prey  to  his  soldiers,  and  matrons  and 
maidens  of  the  highest  rank  were  sold  as 
slaves. 

In  the  midst  of  this  terrible  disaster, 
Julia,  who  belonged  to  one  of  the  best 

(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JULIA.. 


families  in  that  city,  became  a slave  of  a 
Syrian  merchant  named  Eusebius,  and  a 
Pagan. 

Though  a mere  girl,  Julia  was  well 
prepared,  by  her  Christian  virtues,  for 
the  reverses  with  which  Providence  was 
pleased  to  visit  her.  Her  humility  and 
patience  in  all  her  trials,  were  truly  ad- 
mirable ; and,  in  her  love  for  Jesus,  she 
preferred  her  state  of  servitude  to  any 
other  that  she  might  have  enjoyed.  The 
resignation  with  which  she  discharged 
her  duties,  evidences  the  calmness  and 
interior  liberty  of  her  soul.  She  devoted 
every  leisure  moment  to  prayer  and  the 
perusal  of  pious  books.  She  fasted  every 
day  in  the  week  except  Sunday,  and 
notwithstanding  her  laborious  occupa- 
tions, she  practised  many  other  austerities. 
Her  master,  though  a Pagan,  could  not 
but  admire  her  piety  and  exemplarity 
(4) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JULIA. 


Her  constant  prayer  was,  that  she  might 
have  the  blessedness  of  shedding  her  blood 
for  God ; and  he  who  was  charmed  with 
her  holiness  soon  granted  the  realization 
of  her  wishes. 

After  passing  some  years  in  Syria,  her 
master’s  commercial  pursuits  called  him 
to  the  island  of  Corsica,  and  he  cast  anchor 
at  Capo  d’Istria  on  the  very  day  that  the 
inhabitants  were  celebrating  a festival  of 
one  of  their  false  gods.  Julia  kept  away 
from  this  profanity,  but  she  could  not 
help  inveighing  against  the  folly  of  the 
Pagans. 

Felix,  the  governor,  being  informed  of 
this,  ordered  that  Julia  should  be  brought 
before  him.  To  this  Eusebius  replied, 
that  his  slave  was  a Christian,  and  that 
he  had  not  been  able  to  make  her  change 
her  religion.  Nevertheless,  said  he,  she 
has  always  been  exact  and  faithful  in  the 
(5) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JULIA. 


performance  of  her  duties,  and  for  this 
reason  I never  thought  of  dismissing  her. 
Felix  then  offered  him  six  slaves  in  ex- 
change for  her,  but  Eusebius  answered,  that 
he  would  rather  forfeit  all  that  was  dear 
to  him. 

Felix  thereon  invited  the  master  to  his 
table,  and  after  getting  him  drunk,  sent 
for  Julia,  and  ordered  her  to  sacrifice  to 
the  gods,  promising  her  her  liberty  if  she 
would  only  obey.  “ Never,”  said  the 
heroic  maiden,  “ will  I be  guilty  of  this 
base  apostacy ; I want  not  freedom,  for 
every  one  who  serves  Jesus  Christ  faith- 
fully is  truly  free.”  The  reply  enraged 
the  governor,  who  smote  her  on  the  face, 
and  tore  her  hair.  “ It  is  well  for  me,” 
said  the  holy  sufferer,  “that,  like  my 
divine  Master,  I,  too,  am  buffeted  and 
subjected  to  those  outrages.”  Felix, 
growing  still  more  indignant,  ordered  her 
(6) 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JULIA. 

to  be  scourged  and  then  banged.  Several 
pious  persons,  bearing  of  tbe  martyrdom 
of  tbe  Saint,  hastened  from  Leghorn  and 
gave  her  Christian  burial ; and  Didier, 
King  of  Lombardy,  caused  her  relics  to 
be  translated  to  Brescia  in  7 63. 

From  the  example  of  this  blessed  martyr, 
learn  to  bear  patiently  with  whatsoever 
lot  Providence  may  have  awarded  you, 
and  know  that  every  trial  you  may  have 
to  encounter  can  be  turned  to  most  prof- 
itable account;  use  it  so  that  you  may 
perfect  yourself  in  virtue. 

PRAYER. 

Holy  Julia!  thou  who  didst  triumph 
over  the  wickedness  of  thy  persecutors, 
obtain  for  us  of  God  entire  submission  to 
His  most  holy  will,  and  that  Christian 
heroism  which  we  need  to  combat  the  as 
saults  of  the  enemies  of  our  salvation. 

CO 


THE  APPARITION 


OF 

ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGEL. 


A LMIGHTY  God  displayeth  the  rich- 
es of  his  goodness,  power,  and 
glory  in  the  production  of  his  creatures ; 
and  in  them  he  manifesteth  his  own  per- 
fections. The  whole  world  is,  as  it  were, 
one  great  temple,  where  the  divine  pre- 
sence shines,  as  it  did  in  the  Jewish  at  the 
time  of  its  dedication,  in  a visible  glory. 
We  owe  to  him  a tribute  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving  for  all  his  works,  but  more 
particularly  for  the  noble  and  pure  in- 
telligences on  whom  he  has  stamped  his 
own  spiritual  image  in  a more  perfect 
HI 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  AKCHANGEL. 

manner.  He  hath  enriched  them  with 
the  treasures  of  his  grace,  and  of  spotless 
sanctity,  and  hath  made  them  the  immor- 
tal and  blessed  inhabitants  of  his  heaven- 
ly kingdom.  They  are,  by  the  perfection 
of  their  nature,  superior  to  man,  who 
seems  to  hold  the  lowest  rank  in  the  scale 
of  rational  beings,  and  to  be  the  link  be- 
tween the  spiritual  and  material  world ; 
he  being,  by  his  body,  allied  to  matter, 
and  his  soul  to  the  celestial  intelligences. 
He  is  therefore  in  natural  perfections 
essentially  inferior  and  subordinate  to 
those  p ure  spirits ; nevertheless,  in  grace 
he  may  surpass  them ; and  the  Church 
assures  us  that  the  Blessed  Virgin  tran- 
scends their  highest  Orders.  Upon  their 
creation,  God  placed  them  in  a state  of 
meriting  ; and,  while  Lucifer  and  his  ad- 
herents fell  by  pride  and  were  changed 
into  devils,  the  good  spirits,  persevering 
[21 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGEL. 


in  justice,  were  confirmed  in  grace,  and 
crowned  with  glory. 

It  is  manifest  from  the  Holy  Scriptures 
that  God  is  pleased  to  make  frequent  use 
of  the  ministry  of  the  heavenly  spirits  in 
the  dispensations  of  his  providence  in 
this  world,  and  especially  towards  man. 
Hence  the  name  of  angel  (which  is  not 
properly  a denomination  of  nature,  but 
office)  has  been  appropriated  to  them, 
especially  to  a certain  order  among  them 
The  angels  are  all  pure  spirits,  that  is, 
they  are  uncompounded  immaterial  sub- 
stances, or  subsisting  simple  bjeings, 
which  have  no  parts,  as  bodies  and 
matter  have.  In  them  nothing  is  to 
be  found  of  color,  shape,  extension,  or 
any  other  qualities  of  matter.  They  are, 
by  a property  of  their  nature,  immor- 
tal, as  every  spirit  is.  For  a simple  en- 
tity, or  what  has  no  parts,  can  only  perish 
[3J 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGEL. 

by  annihilation,  which  is  a supernatural 
act  of  divine  omnipotence,  no  less  than 
creation.  On  the  contrary,  a body,  being 
compounded  of  parts,  is  naturally  mor- 
tal ; being  obnoxious  to  continual  vicissi- 
tudes, and  liable  to  perish  by  a separation 
or  dissolution  of  its  parts.  Hence,  the 
bodies  of  the  elect,  after  the  general  re- 
surrection, will  be  immortal  only  by  a 
gift  of  grace.  As  in  their  nature,  so  in  its 
properties  and  appendices  do  the  angels 
surpass  inferior  creatures.  Their  subtilty, 
quickness  of  penetration,  extensive  know- 
ledge and  science  in  natural  things,  are 
undoubtedly  perfect  in  proportion  to  the 
excellency  of  their  beings,  inasmuch  as 
they  are  pure  intelligences.  It  is  no  less 
certain  that  they  enjoy  the  faculty  of 
communicating  to  each  other  their 
thoughts  and  conceptions,  which  St.  Paul 
calls  the  tongues  of  angels.  Their  dis- 
[41 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGEL. 


course  can  only  be  intellectual,  as  Theodo* 
ret  observes,  but  must  on  that  account  be 
the  more  perfect.  The  prophets  frequent- 
ly express  it  as  a peculiar  and  distinguish 
ing  property  of  God  alone  that  he  is  the 
searcher  of  hearts  ; so  that  his  all-seeing 
eye  always  penetrates  into  their  most 
hidden  recesses,  and  no  creature  can  con- 
ceal anything  from  him,  before  whom  all 
things  are  light.  In  what  manner  the 
angels  communicate  their  thoughts  or 
understand  those  of  others  we  are  not 

clearlv  able  to  determine.  St.  Thomas 
%/ 

and  divines  usually  teach,  with  St.  Gre- 
gory, that  God  speaks  to  his  angels  by  in- 
teriorly discovering  to  them  his  will, 
and  by  inspiring  them  with  a sweet  in- 
clination to  execute  all  his  orders;  and 
that  these  pure  spirits  speak  to  one 
another  by  the  interior  desire  or  will  of 
communicating  their  thoughts  and  senti- 
[5] 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGEL. 


ments.  By  whatever  means  the  angels 
understand  the  language  of  their  fellow- 
spirits,  by  the  like  they  may  hear  the  de- 
sires of  a human  soul,  such  at  least  as  are 
addressed  to  them,  or  which  it  concerns 
them  to  know.  Our  guardian  angels  may 
in  an  instant  convey  or  intimate  our  con- 
cerns to  spirits  that  are  remote ; and  God 
also  can  immediately  reveal  our  thoughts 
when  he  pleases  to  them.  That  they 
know  our  concerns,  and  by  charity  inter- 
est themselves  in  them,  is  certain,  or  there 
could  not  be  “ joy  in  heaven  and  before 
the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  doing 
penance.”  Even  devils  can  suggest  to  our 
minds  evil  thoughts,  paint  in  the  imagi- 
nation dangerous  objects,  frequently  see 
the  consent  of  the  human  heart,  and  ac- 
cuse men  at  the  divine  tribunal.  That 
spirits  have  a natural  power  of  exertiug 
their  agency  on  bodies  is  proved  from 
161 


ST.  MICHAEL  TIIE  ARCHANGEL. 


several  instances  in  holy  writ,  not  onlj 
of  good  angels,  but  also  of  devils,  when 
God  doth  not  restrain  their  natural 
strength.  Evil  spirits  slew  the  seven 
first  incontinent  husbands  of  Sara,  hurled 
the  swine  into  the  lake,  and  carried  Christ 
in  the  air.  Angels  have  the  power  of 
moving  or  conveying  themselves  from 
place  to  place,  in  which  they  are  swift 
even  as  our  thought ; and  such  is  their 
activity  that  it  is  not  easy  for  us  to  con- 
ceive it.  If  light  comes  from  the  sun  to 
our  eye  in  seven  minutes,  it  must  travel 
200,000  miles  in  a second.  Yet  this  is 
corporal  mention,  which  essentially  re- 
quires succession  of  time.  But  the  motion 
of  a spirit  from  the  highest  heaven  to  the 
lowest  point  in  the  universe  is  instanta- 
neous. 

This  is  an  imperfect  abstract  of  what 
divines  deliver  from  the  oracles  of  Holy 
[7] 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGEL. 


Writ  concerning  the  nature  and  properties 
of  the  good  spirits.  But  unspeakably 
more  transcendent  and  more  admirable 
are  the  noble  spiritual  endowments  of 
grace  and  the  riches  of  immortal  glory 
with  which  they  are  adorned.  They  are 
the  spotless  ministers  who  approach 
nearest  to  the  throne  of  God ; and,  in  the 
contemplation  of  his  infinite  beauty  and 
incomprehensible  perfections,  drink  plen- 
tifully of  the  fountain  of  his  holy  joy 
and  love;  pouring  forth,  with  all  their 
strength,  without  intermission,  to  eternity, 
a perfect  spiritual  homage  of  profound 
adoration  and  praise  to  the  glory  of  his 
holy  name.  Though  in  this  imperfect 
state  of  human  nature  we  can  have  but 
very  weak  notions  of  the  transcendent 
powers  and  faculties  of  superior  spiritual 
beings,  revelation  has,  in  part,  supplied 
the  defect,  and  drawn  aside  the  veil,  let- 
f81 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  AECHANGEL. 

ting  us  into  some  knowledge  of  this  im« 
material  world  of  spirits.  The  Holy  Scrip- 
ture accordingly  admonishes  us  to  watch 
and  stand  upon  our  guard  against  the 
malice  and  snares  of  the  wicked  apostate 
spirits,  who,  by  their  evil  suggestions,  en- 
deavor to  seduce  and  draw  us  into  sin. 
It  also  assures  us  that  the  good  angels  are 
often  employed  by  God  in  ministering  to 
us,  and  that  they  frequently  lend  us  their 
friendly  succors.  It  further  informs  us 
that  when  the  material  curtain  of  our 
body,  which  at  present  hides  from  our 
eyes  the  invisible  spiritual  world,  shall  be 
rent  asunder,  immediately  a sudden  tor- 
rent of  life  will  break  in  upon  us,  and  we 
shall  see  ourselves  in  the  midst  of  those 
bright  legions.  The  wicked,  indeed,  shall 
find  themselves  in  darkness,  under  the 
arrest  and  tyranny  of  the  accursed  spirits, 
which  were  here  their  tempters,  and  will 
[91 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGEL. 

be  hereafter  their  tormentors  and  their  com- 
panions in  unquenchable  flames.  But  a 
guard  of  holy  angels  will  conduct  the  soul 
of  every  just  man,  like  Lazarus,  to  the 
abodes  of  light,  and  it  shall  be  associated 
to  the  millions  of  millions  of  happy  spirits, 
being  itself  a kindred  spirit. 

Among  the  holy  archangels,  three  are 
particularly  mentioned  in  holy  writ : SS. 
Michael,  Gabriel,  and  •Raphael.  St.  Mi- 
chael, whom  the  Church  honors,  was 
the  prince  of  the  faithful  angels  who 
opposed  Lucifer  and  his  associates  in  their 
revolt  against  God.  Michael,  in  Hebrew, 
signifies,  “ Who  is  like  God  ?”  This  was, 
as  it  were,  his  motto,  when  by  humility 
he  repressed  the  pride  of  that  apostate 
angel,  and  set  up  the  standard  against 
him.  He  continues  to  protect  the  saints 
from  his  assaults.  When  the  body  of 
Moses  was  ordered  to  be  secretly  buried, 
[10] 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGEL. 

lest  it  should  prove  an  occasion  of  idolatry 
or  superstition  to  the  Jews,  who  had 
been  accustomed  to  see  the  superstitious 
practices  of  the  Egyptians  towards  their 
dead  princes  and  friends,  the  devil  at- 
tempted to  prevent  the  execution  of  the 
divine  order,  that  he  might  insult  the 
body,  or  make  it  an  object  of  the  people’s 
sin.  But  St.  Michael  checked  his  inso- 
lence, not  commanding  him  in  his  own 
name,  but,  with  humility,  intimating  to 
him  the  commaud  of  God  to  desist.  As 
the  devil  is  the  sworn  enemy  of  God’s 
holy  Church,  St.  Michael  is  its  special  pro- 
tector against  his  assaults  and  stratagems ; 
in  this  quality  he  was  the  defender  of  the 
Jewish  synagogue,  as  it  gathered  from 
Daniel  and  Zachary,  and  it  appears  from 
the  most  ancient  books  of  the  Babbins 
that  he  was  always  acknowledged  such  by 
the  Hebrews,  who  even  think  he  was 
mi 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGEL. 

the  angel  that  conducted  them  into 
the  Promised  Land,  and  was  the  instru- 
ment or  minister  of  God  in  giving 
them  the  law,  and  in  other  signal  fa- 
vors. This  holy  archangel  has  ever 
been  honored  in  the  Christian  Church 
under  the  same  title  as  her  guardian 
under  God,  and  as  the  protector  of  the 
faithful;  for  God  is  pleased  to  employ 
the  zeal  and  charity  of  the  good  angels 
and  their  leader  against  the  malice  of  the 
devil.  To  thank  his  adorable  goodness 
for  this  benefit  of  his  merciful  providence, 
is  the  festival  instituted  by  the  Church  in 
honor  of  the  good  angels,  in  which  devo- 
tion she  has  been  encouraged  by  several 
apparitions  of  this  glorious  archangel. 
Anions:  others  it  is  recorded  that  St. 
Michael,  in  a vision,  admonished  the 
bishop  of  Siponto  to  build  a church  in 
his  honor  on  Mount  Gargano,  now  called 
[12] 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  AECHAXOE.L. 

Monte  de  Sant  Angelo,  in  the  Capitanate, 
near  Manfredonia,  in  the  kingdom  of 
Naples.  This  history  is  confirmed  by 
Sigeber  tin  his  Chronicle,  and  by  the  an- 
cient traditions  of  the  churches  of  that 
country,  and  is  approved  authentic  by 
the  judicious  critic  Mabillon,  who  visited 
those  places,  and  examined  the  records 
and  monuments. . This  church  was  erect- 
ed in  the  fifth  century,  and  is  a place  of 
great  devotion.  When  the  Emperor  Otho 
III.  had,  contrary  to  his  word,  put  to 
death,  for  rebellion,  Crescentius,  a Roman 
senator,  being  touched  with  remorse,  he 
cast  himself  at  the  feet  of  St.  Romuald, 
who,  in  satisfaction  for  his  crime,  enjoined 
him  to  walk  barefoot,  on  a penitential 
pilgrimage,  to  St.  Michael’s  on  Mount 
Gargano,  which  penance  he  performed  in 
1002,  as  St.  Peter  Damian  relates.  In 
Prance,  Aubert,  Bishop  of  Avranches, 

[13] 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGHL. 

moved,  it  is  said,  by  certain  visions,  built, 
in  708,  a church  in  honor  of  St.  Michael 
on  a barren  rock  which  hangs  over  the 
sea  between  Normandy  and  Brittany.  In 
the  tenth  age,  this  collegiate  church  was 
changed  into  a great  Benedictine  abbey. 
In  imitation  of  this  was  the  famous 
Church  of  St.  Michael  refounded  in  Corn- 
wall, in  the  reign  of  William  the  Con- 
queror, by  William,  Earl  of  Moreton, 
on  a mountain  which  the  tide  encom- 
passes. It  is  said  by  Borlace,  the 
learned  and  accurate  antiquarian  of 
Cornwall,  that  this  Church  of  St.  Michael 
v/as  first  built  in  the  fifth  century.  The 
Greeks  mention,  in  their  Mensea,  a fa- 
mous apparition  of  St.  Michael  at  Chone, 
the  ancient  Colossae  in  Phrygia.  Many 
apparitions  of  good  angels  in  favor  of 
men  are  recorded  both  in  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments.  It  is  mentioned  in  par- 

[14] 


ST.  MICHAEL  THE  ARCHANGEL. 

ticular  of  this  special  guardian  and  pro- 
tector of  the  church  that,  in  the  persecu- 
tion of  Antichrist,  he  will  powerfully 
stand  up  in  her  defence:  At  that  time 
shall  Michael  rise  up,  the  great  prince , 
ivho  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy 
people . He  is  not  only  the  protector  of 
the  Church,  but  of  every  faithful  soul. 
He  defeated  the  devil  by  humility;  we 
are  enlisted  in  the  same  warfare.  His 
arms  were  humility  and  ardent  love  of 
• God ; the  same  must  be  our  weapons. 
We  ought  to  regard  this  archangel  as  our 
leader  under  God,  and,  courageously  re- 
sisting the  devil  in  all  his  assaults,  to  cry 
out : Who  can  be  compared  to  God  ? 


riff 1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  ELIZABETH  OF  HUNGARY, 

WIDOW. 


(A.  D.  1251.)  ^ 

ELIZABETH  was  the  daughter  of  An- 
drew II,  King  of  Hungary.  Her  mother 
was  Queen  Gertrude,  daughter  of  the 
Duke  of  Carinthia.  Elizabeth  was  bom  in 
the  year,  1207.  Her  august  parents  were 
distinguished  for  their  great  piety,  and 
great  was  their  joy  on  seeing  their  child, 
even  in  her  infantile  years,  giving  herself, 
as  it  were  naturally,  to  the  things  of  God, 
preferring  them  to  every  other  engage- 
ment, and  centering  all  her  delights  in 
prayer,  almsgiving,  retirement,  and  re- 
iV\ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

collectedness.  Sucli  was  the  precocious 
piety  that  stamped  the  character  of  the 
child,  and,  as  it  were,  presaged  the  future 
glory  of  the  young  Hungarian  princes. 

The  Landgrave  or  Duke  of  Thuringia, 
one  of  the  most  powerful  of  the  princes  of 
Germany,  having  heard  of  Elizabeth,  and 
having  learned  how  heavenly  was  the 
character  of  this  child,  then  only  four 
years  old,  determined  that  she  should,  one 
day,  he  the  spouse  of  his  young  son,  Louis. 

Ambassadors  were  sent  to  the  Court  of 
Hungary,  and  the  marriage  of  the  young 
princess,  Elizabeth,  and  the  youthful 
Louis,  was  arranged.  In  order  to  give 
more  solidity  to  this  engagement,  the  con- 
tracting parties  agreed  that  little  Eliza- 
beth should  be  sent  immediately  to  the 
Court  of  Thuringia. 

She  was  consigned  to  the  ambassadors 
in  a massive  silver  cradle ; and  as  soon  as 
(4) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

they  reached  the  Landgrave’s  Court,  they 
proceeded  to  celebrate  the  espousals  of 
Elizabeth  and  Louis,  who  had  then  com- 
pleted his  eleventh  year.  From  this 
moment  Elizabeth  never  quitted  her  be- 
trothed, whom  she  called  her  brother — 
young  Louis  called  her  his  sister ; even 
after  their  marriage  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  address  each  other  in  these 
endearing  appellations. 

The  care  of  Elizabeth’s  education  was 
entrusted  to  a noble  lady,  eminently 
qualified  for  this  responsible  undertak- 
ing. 

Two  years  after  her  arrival  in  the 
Court  of  Thuringia,  Elizabeth  was  in- 
formed of  the  death  of  Queen  Gertrude, 
her  mother,  the  remembrance  of  whom 
caused  her  to  shed  many  and  many  a 
tear.  Three  years  afterwards,  Elizabeth 
witnessed  the  death  of  Landgrave  Her- 
ts) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 


maun,  the  father  of  her  betrothed.  This, 
indeed,  was  a serious  loss  to  her,  for  this 
prince,  who  was  a truly  religous  man, 
always  smiled  complacently  on  the  holy 
acts  of  his  daughter-in-law,  and  never 
opposed  any  of  the  devotional  practices 
in  which  she  was  wont  to  indulge.  After 
his  death,  she  was  wholly  at  the  mercy 
of  Agnes,  her  sister-in-law,  who  annoyed 
her  very  much.  Sophia,  her  mother-in- 
law,  a woman  singularly  attached  to  pag- 
eantries and  worldly  amusements,  encour- 
aged Agnes  to  thwart  and  cross  young 
Elizabeth.  The  great  devotion  of  the  lat- 
ter, and  her  profound  contempt  for  all  the 
vanities  so  much  loved  by  people  of  her 
rank,  excited  their  extremest  displeasure. 
Agnes,  in  fact,  blushed  to  think  that  she 
should  be  educated  with  a person  who,  ac- 
cording to  her  uncharitable  remarks,  was 
fitter  to  be  a tire-woman  than  a princess. 

(6) 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

Duke  Louis  had  succeeded  his  father, 
but  he  was  still  dependent  on  the  Duchess 
Sophia,  his  mother.  Furthermore,  he  was 
very  often  absent  from  the  Court,  and  this 
period  was  employed  by  Sophia  and 
Agnes  in  tormenting  poor  Elizabeth. 

One  day — it  was  the  festival  of  the 
Assumption — Agnes  and  Elizabeth  re- 
ceived orders  to  dress  themselves  in  their 
most  sumptuous  robes,  and  to  wear  their 
golden  crowns,  as  the  Duchess  required 
them  to  accompany  her  to  the  Church  of 
Eisenach,  where  she  was  going  to  hear 
Mass.  Elizabeth  obeyed  ; but  on  enter- 
ing the  house  of  God,  she  removed  her 
crown.  The  princess  Sophia,  observing 
this  act,  reproached  her,  and  asked  her 
imperiously  why  she  did  so  ? “ Madam,” 
replied  Elizabeth,  with  profound  hu- 
mility, “ought  I wear  a golden  diadem 
in  a place  where  1 behold  J esus  Christ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

crowned  with  thorns  ? ” Agnes  and  Sophia 
were  struck  dumb  with  indignation,  for 
so  much  humility  condemned  their  pride. 
Elizabeth,  however,  gave  herself  no  un- 
easiness, but  prostrating  herself,  prayed 
with  her  wonted  fervor. 

This  event  served  only  to  augment 
Elizabeth’s  torments.  “Do  not  imagine 
that  Duke  Louis  will  ever  marry  you 
such  was  the  insulting  language  habitu- 
ally employed  by  Agnes ; “ Go  and  be- 
come a waiting- woman,  for  you  are  not 
fit  to  be  the  wife  of  a prince.”  Never- 
theless, poor  Elizabeth  bore  all  these 
injuries  and  outrages  with  patience,  and 
when  Louis  returned  to  the  Court,  he  did 
not  fail  to  evince  the  sincerest  love  and 
respect  for  the  virtues  of  his  betrothed, 
despite  the  sarcasms  of  his  mother  and 
sister.  He  consoled  her  in  secret,  he  en- 
couraged her  in  the  practices  of  humility 
(8) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

and  evangelical  mortification,  and,  at  tlie 
same  time,  left  no  doubt  on  her  mind  as 
to  his  unshaken  constancy  and  eternal 
attachment. 

All  their  persecutions  tended  to  make 
Elizabeth  entertain,  if  possible,  a still 
more  profound  contempt  for  the  pomps 
and  pleasures  pf  earth.  All  these  trials 
she  had  to  encounter  on  the  road  wherein 
Jesus  Christ  destined  her  to  walk,  taught 
her  to  entertain  patience,  humility,  gen- 
tleness, and  charity.  She  never  failed  to 
evince  all  these  heavenly  dispositions  of 
soul  and  body  for  her  cruel  persecutors. 
Consoled  by  the  benedictions  of  heaven, 
she  almost  disregarded  all  the  thorns 
wherewith  her  path  was  strewn.  Her 
chief  happiness  was  to  remain  within  her 
chapel  or  oratory,  and  there  to  pass  many 
and  many  an  hour  in  prayer.  Her  de 
light  was  to  minister  comfort  to  the  pool 
(9) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 


and  to  dress  the  wounds  of  the  suffer- 
ing, no  matter  how  loathsome  they  might 
be.  Even  in  her  leisure  moments,  in  the 
time  usually  allotted  to  recreation,  any 
one  might  have  perceived  how  sedulous 
she  proved  herself  in  cultivating  and  prac- 
tising evangelical  humility  and  mortifica- 
tion. 

A fife  like  this,  so  totally  opposed  to 
luxury  and  the  fatal  etiquette  attached  to 
the  high  place  which  she  was  destined 
one  day  to  occupy,  excited  the  deadliest 
contempt  and  aversion  of  Sophia,  and 
her  daughter  Agnes.  The  very  courtiers 
labored  with  all  their  ingenuity  to  heap 
contempt  on  Elizabeth.  Thus  spake  they: 
“ She  is  not  worthy  of  an  alliance  with 
the  Landgrave  : moreover,  the  prince 
does  not  love  her.  She  ought,  therefore, 
return  into  Hungary,  and  there  marry 
gome  civilian  of  gentle  blood.” 

(10) 


*t*~.TTSr. 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

But,  at  length,  after  long  and  continual 
absence,  occasioned  by  his  education, 
Duke  Louis  returned  to  the  Court  of  liis 
royal  ancestors.  He  was  an  accom- 
plished prince,  and  in  every  way  pre- 
pared to  act  a great  part  in  the  theatre  of 
the  world ; but  that  which  rendered  him 
still  more  estimable  and  worthy  of  Eliza- 
beth was  his  great  purity  of  morals,  and 
his  heart-felt  love  of  piety.  The  wonder- 
ful virtues  of  Elizabeth,  then  only  fourteen 
years  of  age,  had  made  a deep  and  lasting 
impression  on  his  soul.  He  took  good 
care  to  put  an  end  to  the  persecutions  she 
had  to  endure  for  such  a lengthened  period, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  declared  his  deter- 
mination to  marry  the  blessed  girl  whom 
he  called  his  sister.  Her  persecutors  were 
now  obliged  to  mask  their  rage,  and  the 
marriage  of  Louis  and  Elizabeth  was 
solemnized  with  all  regal  magnificence, 
(ii) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH 

Even  after  her  marriage,  the  new 
Duchess  did  not,  in  the  least  degree,  di- 
minish her  pious  austerities  ; and  the  de- 
vout prince,  her  husband,  far  from  finding 
fault  with  them,  seemed  rather  disposed  to 
encourage  them.  All  the  time  which 
Elizabeth  did  not  spend  in  prayer  was 
devoted  to  works  of  charity,  or  manual 
labor,  and  this  labor  was  to  spin  wool 
for  the  clothing  of  the  poor. 

Always  united  to  God,  she  seemed  to 
perform  every  act  as  though  she  was  the 
only  obj ect  of  His  watchfulness.  Further- 
more, Elizabeth  possessed  the  grand  gift 
of  being  able  to  pray  almost  incessantly. 

Her  austerities  surpassed  those  of  the 
ancient  solitaries.  Her  aversion  to  the 
pomps,  pride,  and  pageants  of  Court-life, 
was  almost  incredible.  Many  of  her  ladies 
of  honor  imitated  her  virtues,  but  they 
followed  her  at  a considerable  distance. 

(12) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH 


In  fact,  slie  was  inimitable,  above  all,  in 
the  practice  of  humility,  and  in  her  zeal 
to  seek  out  whatever  was  of  the  most  re- 
volting nature  to  the  generality  of  women 
in  her  elevated  position. 

Wishing  to  bestow  her' greatest  atten- 
tions on  the  sick,  who  labored  under  the 
most  loathsome  maladies,  she  made  it  her 
study  to  find  them,  that  she  might  have 
the  exclusive  charge  of  their  infirmities. 

Her  favourite  virtue  was  to  alleviate  the 
sufferings  of  the  poor ; this  was  her  ha- 
bitual thought,  and  the  holy  passion  that 
consumed  her  soul.  Elizabeth  justly  de- 
served to  be  called  the  Mother  of  the 
Poor,  and,  to  this  day,  the  Church  proposes 
her  to  us  as  the  patroness  of  the  poor. 
Such  is  one  of  the  titles  that  she  has  on  our 
veneration.  In  the  persons  of  the  poor, 
Elizabeth  beheld  J esus  Christ  himself ; 
and  this  was  one  of  the  reasons  which 
(13) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

caused  her  to  act  as  their  most  menial 
servant.  One  day — it  was  on  Holy 
Thursday — she  gathered  together  a vast 
number  of  the  unfortunates  who  had  been 
stricken  with  the  leprosy,  and  nowise 
deterred  by  this  horrid  malady,  so  conta- 
gious, and  so  seldom  yielding  to  human 
remedies,  she  washed  the  hands  and  feet 
of  this  loathsome  assemblage,  in  imitation 
of  our  Lord,  who,  upon  the  eve  of  his 
crucifixion,  washed  the  feet  of  his  Apo- 
stles. 

Being  nowise  restricted  by  her  pious 
husband,  there  was  no  end  to  Elizabeth’s 
alms-giving.  In  the  year  1225,  all  Ger- 
many was  afflicted  by  a terrible  famine, 
and,  at  this  period,  Elizabeth  seemed  like 
an  angel  sent  down  from  heaven  to  arrest 
this  most  direful  scourge.  The  prince, 
her  husband,  was  at  this  time  in  Italy, 
sustaining  the  Emperor,  Frederick,  the 
(14; 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

Second,  with  his  army.  On  his  return, 
his  principal  officers,  and  the  treasurers  of 
his  household,  were  loud  in  their  protes- 
tations against  the  lavish  profusion  which 
they  said  Elizabeth  had  shown  to  the 
poor.  But  nothing  could  exceed  their 
astonishment  when  the  prince  coldly 
asked  them,  if  she  had  not  carefully 
preserved  the  strong  places  of  Thuringia  ? 
“Yes,  ” replied  the  officers.  “Well,” 
observed  the  prince,  “ I will  not  dare  to 
censure  her  charities,  for  they  will  bring 
down  the  benedictions  of  heaven  on  us ; 
and  I am  certain  I never  shall  want 
means  as  long  as  my  wife  continues  to 
employ  them  so  usefully,  and  so  like  a 
Christian  woman,  who,  in  her  high  posi- 
tion, does  not  forget  herself  or  her 
God ! ” 

Meanwhile,  a crusade  had  been  pro- 
claimed against  the  Turks,  the  enemies  of 
(15) 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

Christ,  and  the  enemies  of  civilization 
Duke  Louis,  therefore,  deemed  it  his 
bounden  duty  to  respond  to  the  summons 
of  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  who  was  ex- 
horting all  the  chivalry  of  Christendom 
to  march  to  the  succor  of  their  oppressed 
brethren  in  the  East. 

Duke  Louis,  therefore,  took  the  cross, 
and  set  out  for  Naples,  where  he  was  to 
join  the  Emperor  Frederick,  with  whom 
he  meant  to  pass  into  Palestine.  Sad 
and  painful  was  the  parting  from  his 
holy  wife.  Bitter  were  the  tears  they 
shed,  but  religion  resumed  its  empire, 
and  at  last  triumphed  over  the  feelings  of 
nature. 

The  Landgrave  having  marched  into 
Italy,  proceeded  to  Otranto,  where  he 
was  to  have  embarked  with  the  Emperor 
Frederick.  In  that  city  he  was  attacked  by 

an  epidemic  malady,  then  raging  amongst 
(16) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

his  troops.  In  fact,  he  was  its  first  victim. 
He  immediately  demanded  the  sacra- 
ments of  the  Church,  which  were  admin- 
istered by  the  Patriarch  of  Jerusalem, 
and  he  soon  afterwards  expired  in  the 
most  pious  sentiments  of  a true  Catholic. 
He  was  only  twenty-seven  years  of  age, 
and  his  loss  was  sincerely  lamented  by 
all  his  companions  in  arms. 

The  announcement  of  his  decease  filled 
Elizabeth’s  Court  with  grief  and  gloom. 
Her  husband,  her  pious  friend,  he  who 
called  himself  her  brother;  he  with 
whom  she  had  hoped  to  pass  many  a 
happy  year,  her  Louis  had  departed  to 
heaven  from  her,  and  she  was  never  to 
see  him  again  till  God  summoned  her  to 
His  mansions  of  glory  ! “ Ah !”  she  ex- 

claimed, “ since  my  brother  is  no  longer 
here  on  this  earth  with  me,  I pray  God 
that  I may  die  to  all  things : henceforth 
(17) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

I can  live  only  to  weep  and  mourn.1’ 

That  envy  and  hatred,  which  did  not 
dare  to  show  itself  during  Louis1  lifetime, 
now  joined  in  a league  to  ruin  her.  It 
was  then  alleged  that  Elizabeth  Lad 
embarrassed  the  treasury  by  her  alms- 
giving, that  it  was  necessary  to  re-estab- 
lish the  exhausted  finances,  that  Prince 
Hermann,  son  of  the  deceased  Landgrave, 
was  too  young  to  take  the  reins  of  govern- 
ment, that  some  one  capable  of  protect- 
ing the  domains  of  the  State  should  be 
selected,  and  they  finally  concluded  that 
the  only  one  fit  for  this  important  duty, 
was  Henry,  the  uncle  of  Hermann. 

The  aristocracy  succeeded  in  winning 
the  sympathies  of  the  populace,  and 
Henry,  therefore,  seized  the  reins  of 
government. 

His  first  act  was  to  expel  Elizabeth 
from  her  palace,  and  his  cruelty  was  so 
(18) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 


excessive,  that  he  refused  her  the  very 
necessaries  of  life.  Furthermore,  he  for- 
bade all  persons  inhabiting  his  cities,  to 
receive  or  succor  her. 

The  princess  suffered  all  these  outrages 
and  cruelties  with  admirable  patience, 
and  not  a word  of  murmuring  or  repining 
ever  fell  from  her  lips. 

Full  of  confidence  in  God,  she  de- 
parted tranquilly  from  her  palace  with 
her  female  servants,  and  took  up  her 
abode  in  a poor  cottage.  At  midnight, 
she  repaired  to  the  church  of  the  Francis- 
cans, just  as  they  were  chanting  matins, 
and  then  and  there  she  invited  them  to 
join  her  in  the  Te  Deum , for  she  desired 
to  give  thanks  to  God  for  the  afflictions 
with  which  it  pleased  Him  to  visit  her. 

Next  day  she  employed  all  diligence 
in  seeking  for  some  place  where  she 
might  lodge,  but  no  one  dared  to  harbor 
(19) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

hei,  as  all  were  in  dread  of  the  usurper 
and  his  supporters.  She,  therefore,  had 
to  spend  the  whole  day  in  the  church  of 
the  Franciscan  friars. 

In  the  night-time  her  children  were 
brought  to  her,  for  Henry  drove  them 
out  of  the  palace.  On  beholding  the 
poor  babes,  now  deprived  of  all  main- 
tenance, she  could  not  check  the  current 
of  her  tears.  Oh ! how  she  then  la- 
mented the  decease  of  their  father.  The 
caresses  of  the  poor  little  creatures  were 
not  sufficient  to  console  that  afflicted 
mother ; but  she  lifted  up  her  eyes  to 
heaven,  and  she,  the  daughter  of  kings, 
she  whose  alms,  a few  days  ago,  had  suc- 
cored the  indigence  and  sufferings  of  so 
many,  now  humbly  implored  the  King  of 
heaven  to  look  down  compassionately  on 
her  and  her  tender  charge.  At  all  times 

full  of  confidence  in  God,  Elizabeth 
(20) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

offered  all  her  sufferings  and  humiliations 
to  Him,  and  her  most  fervent  prayer  was 
that  He  would  give  her  grace  to  live  for 
Him  alone,  to  fervently  desire  Him  only : 
and  God  did  come  to  her  aid.  An  abbess, 
who  was  her  kinswoman,  offered  her  an 
asylum  in  her  monastery.  The  Bishop  of 
Bamberg,  her  uncle,  presented  her  with 
a mansion  situated  near  his  palace.  The 
prelate,  thinking  that  a new  alliance  was 
the  only  means  by  which  she  might  be 
enabled  to  recover  her  own  and  children’s 
rights,  counselled  her  to  marry  again ; 
but  the  Saint  informed  him,  that  after  her 
husband’s  decease  she  had  made  a vow  to 
remain  a widow  for  the  rest  of  her' life, 
and  that  her  only  desire  was  to  consecrate 
the  remaider  of  her  days  to  God  alone 
During  her  sojourn  in  the  states  of  the 
Bishop  of  Bamberg,  the  mortal  remains  of 
her  husband  were  brought  home  from 
(21) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

Italy.  Elizabeth  then  related  to  the 
knights  who  had  accompanied  her  hus- 
band’s mortal  remains,  the  sad  story  of  her 
sufferings.  She  besought  them  to  plead 
her  cause  and  that  of  her  children,  and 
to  obtain  justice  for  them  and  her  from 
her  brother-in-law. 

She  never  accused  him  as  the  cause  of 
the  disgraceful  treatment  she  had  experi- 
enced, but  attributed  it  all  to  the  evil 
counsels  to  which  he  had  given 
ear.  The  knights  were  deeply  affected 
by  the  story  of  her  misfortunes,  and 
bound  themselves  by  an  oath  to 
see  her  restored  to  all  her  rights  and 
privileges.  Such  was  the  ardor  they 
evinced  in  this  matter,  that  Elizabeth 
felt  herself  bound  to  moderate  their 
zeal. 

On  their  arrival  in  Thuringia,  the 
nobles  energetically  reproached  Prince 
(22) 


1/IE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

Henry  with  tlie  disloyalty  of  his  con- 
duct. u Remember,”  said  they  to  him, 
u that  there  is  a God  who  sees  all  things. 
What  crime  has  this  woman  committed  I 
Is  not  the  weakness  of  her  sex  quite 
enough  to  prevent  her  undertaking  any 
emprise  injurious  to  the  State  ? Know 
you  not  that  she  is  distinguished  for  he? 
wonderful  piety  and  many  inestimable 
virtues  ? What  have  her  children,  your 
own  blood,  done  to  you?  Ought  not 
their  age  plead  in  their  favor  ? You,  who 
should  have  been  their  protector,  have 
proved  yourself  their  unrelenting  enemy. 
Have  you  not  violated  all  laws,  human 
and  divine  ? ” 

Henry’s  heart  could  not  withstand 
such  well-deserved  reproaches.  Sorrow- 
ful for  his  past  conduct,  and  softened 
by  the  tears  shed  by  the  princesses 
themselves,  he  consented  that  Elizabeth 
(23) 


THE  LIFE  OF  LT.  ELIZABETH. 

should  return  to  the  palace,  promised  to 
make  restitution  of  al1  her  property,  and 
swore  that  he  would  resign  the  reins  of 
government  to  her  son  as  soon  as  ho 
had  attained  his  majority. 

The  knights  being  fully  satisfied  with 
these  promises,  brought  back  Elizabeth 
to  her  palace.  Henry  then  caused  her 
to  be  treated  with  all  the  honors  due 
to  her  rank,  and  put  her  in  possession  of 
all  her  property. 

After  so  many  painful  vicissitudes , 
Sophia,  her  mother-in-law,  flattered  her  - 
self  that  Elizabeth  would  renounce  that 
manner  of  life  which  had  brought  so 
many  afflictions  on  her ; but  Elizabeth’s 
hatred  of  vanities  became  more  intense, 
and  she  proved  still  more  devoted  to  that 
God,  who  consoled  her  in  all  her  afflictions 
— to  that  God  who  never  deserted  her 
vhen  she  was  abandoned  by  all  those 
(34) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

who  fawned  on  her  in  the  days  of  her 
prosperity. 

Now  that  she  had  experience  of  bitter 
poverty,  she  became  more  attached  to  the 
poor,  and  to  them  she  gave  all  the 
revenues  arising  from  her  dowry.  For 
them  she  subjected  herself  to  all  manner 
of  humiliations,  such  as  mendings  their 
clothes,  and  ministering  to  them  with  her 
own  hands. 

In  vain  did  the  King  of  Hungary,  her 
father,  strive  to  induce  her  to  return  to 
his  Court.  She  refused  to  re-enter  that 
world,  which  she  had  quitted  for  ever. 
She  continued  to  live  in  the  most  perfect 
poverty,  eating  nothing  but  bread  and 
herbs,  and  living  only  to  pray.  She, 
with  her  own  hands,  dressed  the  ulcers 
of  the  poor,  and  made  herself  an  entire 
sacrifice  to  the  suffering  members  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

(25) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

At  last  the  moment  came  in  which  the 
holy  Duchess  of  Thuringia  was  to  go  to 
receive  the  glorious  reward  of  all  her  suf- 
ferings and  sorrows.  Knowing  that  her 
end  was  approaching,  although  her  mala- 
dy was  very  slight,  she  redoubled  her 
devout  exercises,  and  the  fire  of  her  holy 
fervor  grew  stronger.  Before  receiving 
the  sacraments,  she  desired  to  make  a 
general  confession  of  her  whole  life ; and 
even  to  her  last  gasp,  she  ceased  not  to 
meditate  on  the  mysteries  of  the  life  and 
sufferings  of  her  divine  Redeemer. 

At  length,  after  addressing  many'words, 
replete  with  piety  and  edification,  to  those 
who  surrounded  her,  she  expired  in  the 
night  of  the  19th  of  November,  1231 
aged  only  twenty-four  years.  A great 
many  miracles  were  wrought  at  her  tomb. 
Four  years  after  her  death  (A.  D.  1235), 
she  was  canonized  by  Pope  Gregory  IX 
(26) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ELIZABETH. 

Her  children  were  still  young,  and  for  a 
long  timo  were  enabled  to  honor  the  rehcs 
of  their  mother,  which  were  exposed  to 
the  veneration  of  the  faithful. 

PRAYER. 

0 holy  Elizabeth ! what  an  example 
hast  thou  given  us,  that  we  may  learn  to 
despise  the  grandeur  and  riches  of  this 
transitory  world!  How  admirable  was 
thy  love  of  the  poor  ! How  beautiful  thy 
resignation  in  all  thy  sufferings  and  ad- 
versities ! Oh,  obtain  for  us  from  God  a 
perfect  renunciation  of  all  things  that 

tend  not  to  his  glory Great  Saint, 

obtain  for  us  humility,  charity,  love  of 
humiliations,  and  of  the  cross ! Holy 
Elizabeth,  pray  for  us.  Amen. 


THE  LIFE 


OF 


ST.  JANE  FRANCES  DE  CHANTAL, 


WIDOW, 


FOUNDRESS  OF  THE  ORDER  OF  THE  VISITATION  OF 
HOLY  MARY. 


ANE  CHANTAL  was  born  in  Dijon, 


^ on  the  23d  of  February,  1572.  Her 
father  was  Benignus  Fremiot,  president 
of  the  Burgundian  parliament,  who  de- 
scended of  an  illustrious  family,  always 
distinguished  for  their  virtues.  His 
marriage  with  Marguerite  de  Berbisy 
brought  him  three  children : Marguerite, 
who  married  the  Count  of  Effran  in  Poi- 
tou; Jane,  of  whom  we  are  about  to 
write ; and  Andrew,  their  only  son,  who 
entered  into  the  ecclesiastical  state.  This 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

man  became  Archbishop  of  Bourges,  and 
was  a very  holy  prelate. 

When  Jane  received  the  sacrament  of 
confirmation,  she  added  the  name  of 
Frances  to  that  of  Jane,  which  had  been 
given  to  her  in  baptism. 

The  president  Fremiot  lost  his  wife 
while  his  children  were  still  very  young. 
Nevertheless,  he  bestowed  particular  at- 
tention on  their  education,  inspiring  them 
with  the  love  of  virtue  by  his  coun- 
sels and  examples.  Nor,  while  training 
their  young  hearts  to  piety,  did  he  neg- 
lect to  cultivate  their  intellects,  which 
were  adorned  with  all  that  knowledge 
that  was  required  by  their  position  in  the 
world.  Jane,  of  all  his  children,  was  the 
one  who  corresponded  best  with  his: 
views ; and  in  fact  he  evinced  a particu- 
lar tenderness  towards  her. 

From  her  tenderest  infancy,  Jane  manh 


FRANCES  DE  CHANTAL. 


fested  the  most  ardent  devotedness  to  the 
Catholic  religion.  When  she  had  barely 
attained  her  fifth  year,  she  one  day  se- 
verely reprimanded  a heretic,  who  at- 
tacked the  dogma  of  Christ’s  real  pre- 
sence in  the  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist. 
Some  years  afterwards,  when  a wily  and 
intriguing  woman  sought  to  destroy  her 
innocence,  she  had  recourse  to  the  Mothei 
of  God,  and  that  Faithful  Mother,  who 
watcheth  over  the  young  and  innocent, 
heard  the  prayers  of  her  suppliant  child. 

The  Countess  of  Effran,  her  sister,  after 
obtaining  her  father’s  permission,  took 
her  on  a visit  to  her,  and  here,  during  her 
sojourn,  a gentleman  of  large  estates  pro- 
posed to  marry  her;  but  Jane,  knowing 
that  he  was  a Calvinist,  refused  a unior 
which  must  have  been  prejudicial  to  her 
faith.  She  therefore  wrote  to  her  father, 
beseeching  him  to  send  for  her. 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

When  she  liad  attained  her  twentieth 
year,  her  father  gave  her  in  marriage  to 
the  Baron  de  Chantal,  the  eldest  son  of 
the  House  of  Rabutin.  He  was  then  in 
his  twenty-seventh  year,  and  an  officer  in 
the  army  of  Henry  IV.,  who  honored 
him  with  many  marks  of  great  respect. 

Some  days  after  the  marriage,  the 
Baron  de  Chantal  conducted  his  wife  to 
the  Castle  of  Bourbilly,  which  was  his 
ordinary  residence.  Our  Saint  found  the 
house  in  a state  of  the  greatest  disorder. 
The  frequent  absence  of  the  baron  had 
caused  innumerable  abuses.  Jane  imme- 
diately set  about  correcting  them.  Her 
first  care  was  to  watch  over  her  servants, 
to  make  them  practise  the  duties  of  re- 
ligion, and  to  make  them  assist  at  the 
prayers,  which  were  said  morning  a/,  d 
night,  in  common.  On  Sundays  and  fes- 
tivals, she  sent  them  to  the  ceremonies  of 
[«J 


FRANCES  DE  CH  ANTAL. 


the  parish  church,  which  was  distant  half 
a league,  and  on  the  other  days  they 
heard  Mass  in  the  chapel  of  the  Castle  of 
Bourbilly.  Our  Saint  did  everything  in 
her  power  to  induce  her  husband  to 
be  present  as  frequently  as  possible. 
“ Nothing,”  she  would  say,  “ influences  so 
much  as  example;  and  how  can  these 
poor  people  know  their  duties  to  God,  if 
they  do  not  see  us  fulfilling  ours  ? How 
could  they  love  religion,  if  they  did  not 
see  us  practising  it  ourselves  ? ” 

In  a very  brief  space,  the  house  of  the 
Baron  de  Chantal  became  remarkable  for 
its  regularity.  Every  one  had  his  allotted 
employment,  and  hours  appointed  for  the 
execution  of  it. 

When  the  baron  was  obliged  to  be 
absent  either  at  the  court  or  with  the 
army,  his  pious  wife  shut  herself  up  in 
her  house,  and  rarely  did  she  make  or  re* 


i 


THE  I-TFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

ceive  visits.  Thus  did  she  avoid  dissipa- 
tion, and  thus  did  she  leave  herself  free 
to  attend  to  her  children  and  domestic 
affairs. 

Not  wishing  to  have  anything  to  do 
with  the  frivolities  and  idle  amusements 
of  worldly  women,  she  employed  all  her 
leisure  moments  in  reading  and  praying. 
But  when  her  husband  returned,  she 
sought  to  please  .him  by  procuring  for 
him  innocent  recreations.  She  then  sur- 
rounded herself  with  agreeable  compan- 
ions; nay,  she  abridged  her  devotional 
exercises,  and  indulged  in  such  amuse- 
ments as  are  not  forbidden  by  the  spirit 
of  true  piety.  At  a subsequent  period, 
however,  she  reproached  herself  with 
having  indulged  them  too  much.  Amuse- 
ments, said  she,  involve  considerable  loss 
of  time,  and  dissipation  cools  religious 
zeal. 

[3] 


FRANCES  DE  CH ANTAL. 

Thenceforth  it  was  only  for  motives  of 
charity,  or  to  comply  with  the  indispens- 
able obligations  of  her  social  position, 
that  she  could  be  induced  to  abridge  her 
religious  exercises. 

The  Baron  de  Chantal  allowed  her  the 
fullest  liberty.  He  was  an  honorable 
man,  and  warmly  devoted  to  his  religion. 
He  loved  his  wife  tenderly,  and  she  re- 
turned that  love  with  a true  wife’s  affec- 
tion. Their  condition  was  a truly  happy 
one.  But  this  blissful  life,  so  happy,  so 
prosperous,  and  so  joyful,  was  about  to 
receive  a sad  visitation.  A fearful  tem- 
pest was  soon  to  shatter  the  sweet  chain 
of  these  beauteous  peaceful  days. 

The  Baron  de  Chantal  had  just  recov- 
ered from  a severe  illness,  when  one  of  his 
friends  came  to  visit  him  at  the  Castle  of 
Bourbilly.  This  gentleman  invited  him 
to  join  a hunting  party.  The  baron 
[»1 


rHE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

accepted  the  proposal,  and  went  out 
dressed  in  a dark ‘dress  His  friend,  who 
did  not  perceive  that  the  baron  had  gone 
*uto  ft  thicket,  mistook  him  for  a wild 
beast,  and  fired  his  fowling-piece  at  him. 
The  shot  was  mortal.  The  baron,  how- 
ever, lived  for  a few  days,  and  received 
the  sacraments  with  the  tenderest  piety. 
He  submitted  himself  with  the  most  per- 
fect resignation  to  the  will  of  God.  He 
consoled  his  friend,  who  was  thrown  into 
a state  of  despair  by  this  untoward  acci- 
dent, and  frequently  repeated  that  he 
pardoned  him — nay,  he  caused  the  record 
of  his  pardon  to  be  inscribed  on  the 
parochial  registry.  He  expired,  aged 
thirty-six  years,  in  the  arms  of  his  wife, 
whose  desolation  no  words  could  ade- 
quately describe. 

The  Baroness  de  Chantal  was  a widow 
at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years.  She 
fioi 


FRANCES  DE  CHANTAL. 


had  had  six  children,  of  whom  four  were 
still  living,  one  son  and  three  daughters. 
Poignant  as  her  grief  was,  she  bore 
it  with  admirable  resignation  and  con- 
stancy ; so  much  so  that  she  was  often 
surprised  at  the  strength  which  the  Lord 
bestowed  on  her  in  her  hours  of  bitterest 
tribulation.  It  was  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross  that  she  acquired  this  strength. 
Prostrated  before  her  crucifix,  she  was 
often  heard  addressing  God  in  such  sen- 
timents  as  these : “ I offer  myself  to  thee, 
my  God,  as  a victim  prepared  to  suffer 
all  the  crosses  that  thou  wilt  be  pleased 
to  send  me.  I make  to  thee  an  entire 
sacrifice  of  myself,  and  I accept  all  the 
visitations  which  henceforth  thou  wilt 
deign  to  inflict  on  me.”  Furthermore, 
she  now  made  a vow  of  perpetual  com 
tinence. 

Her  greatest  consolation  was  now  to 
[ii] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 


think  that  she  could  live  for  God  alone, 
and  she  took  great  delight  in  constantly 
repeating  these  words : “ Lord,  thou  hast 
broken  my  bonds,  and  I can  now  offer 
myself  to  thee  as  a victim  of  praise.” 

Entering  perfectly  into  her  husband’s 
views,  she  heartily  pardoned  the  author 
of  his  death ; and,  that  the  latter  might 
have  no  doubts  as  to  her  sincerity,  she 
did  him  all  the  services  in  her  power. 
In  facf,  she  wished  that  he  would  act  as 
sponsor  for  one  of  her  children. 

Being  now  deprived  of  her  husband, 
the  Baroness  de  Chantal  proposed  to 
herself  a new  system  of  life,  according  to 
the  rules  laid  down  by  St.  Paul  and  the 
Fathers  for  the  sanctification  of  widows. 

The  Saint  gave  all  her  costly  dresses 
to  be  disposed  of  for  the  benefit  of  the 
poor;  and  she  made  a vow  never  in" 
future  to  wear  any  but  of  the  coarsest 
fl2] 


FRANCES  DE  CHANTAL. 


quality.  She  dismissed  nearly  all  her 
servants,  after  having  remunerated  them 
amply  for  their  services.  Her  fastings 
now  became  frequent  and  rigorous.  A 
portion  of  her  nights  was  consecrated  to 
prayer.  Totally  secluded  from  the  world, 
she  divided  her  time  between  prayer, 
labor,  the  education  of  her  children,  and 
visiting  the  poor  and  sick.  She  no 
longer  paid  any  visits,  nor  received  any, 
save  such  as  charity  and  politeness  would 
not  allow  her  to  decline.  This  love  of 
solitude,  far  from  being  the  result  of 
excessive  melancholy,  sprang  from  a 
desire  to  be  alone  with  God,  to  hold 
converse  with  him  in  prayer,  to  hear  his 
voice  in  the  perusal  of  holy  books,  and  to 
be  united  to  him  in  silence.  Such,  in- 
deed, was  her  desire  to  be  altogether 
with  God  that  she  would  gladly  have 
buried  herself  in  a desert  to  escape  the 
[13] 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAXE 

world.  Slie  avowed  that  she  once  enter- 
tained the  notion  of  going  to  end  her 
days  in  the  Holy  Land,  and  that  she  was 
withheld  only  by  the  fear  of  failing  in  an 
essential  duty — the  educating  of  her 
children,  who  were  as  yet  very  young. 

Exalted  by  perfection,  and  desirous  to 
live  with  God  alone,  our  Saint  now  only 
needed  a director  to  guide  her  in  the 
way  which  she  ought  to  pursue,  and 
she  never  ceased  imploring  God  to  send 
her  such  a director.  One  day,  as  she  was 
walking  in  the  country,  and  praying,  ac- 
cording to  her  custom,  she  saw,  on  the 
declivity  of  a neighboring  hill,  a man 
very  much  resembling  St.  Francis  de 
Sales,  and  dressed  like  him;  in  a word, 
just  as  she  saw  him  subsequently  at 
Dijon.  At  the  same  moment,  she  heard 
i voice  saying:  “There  is  the  man  be- 
Dved  of  Heaven,  whom  God  destines  to 

[14] 


FRANCES  DE  CHANT AL. 

lead  thee.”  The  vision  disappeared  ; but 
her  heart,  now  filled  with  ineffable  joy, 
no  longer  doubted  that  God  had  heard 

her. 

Saint  Francis  de  Sales  was  then  in 
great  reputation,  but  as  yet  he  was  not 
acquainted  with  our  Saint.  On  learning 
that  he  wTas  to  preach  during  the  Lent 
of  1604  at  Dijon,  she  determined  to 
go  and  hear  this  eminent  servant  of 
God.  The  first  time  she  saw  the  holy 
bishop  she  was  struck  by  the  resem- 
blance he  bore  to  him  whom  she  had 
seen  in  the  vision  of  which  we  have 
spoken,  and  an  interior  sentiment  gave 
Iter  to  know  that  this  was  the  man 
chosen  by  Providence  for  her  guidance. 
The  holy  bishop,  too,  had  had  a vision,  in 
which  God  informed  him  of  his  predilec- 
tion for  our  Saint.  She  introduced  him 
to  her  father,  whom  he  visited  frequently. 

[15] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

She  now  gave  him  her  unbounded  confi- 
dence, and  never  addressed  him  without 
experiencing  sentiments  of  the  profound- 
est  piety.  She  consulted  him  on  all  the 
movements  of  her  soul;  but  as  yet  she 
scrupled  revealing  it  entirely  to  him, 
because  a religious  had  caused  her  to 
promise,  even  by  a vow,  to  refer  to  him 
her  whole  spiritual  conduct.  On  the 
other  hand,  she  was  greatly  influenced  by 
the  discourses  of  the  Bishop  of  Geneva. 
She  conformed  herself  to  him  even  in  the 
most  minute  details,  and  her  docility  was 
always  followed  by  the  most  extraordi- 
nary consolations.  At  last  Madame  de 
Chantal  disclosed  to  him  the  cause  of  her 
perplexities ; and  he  decided  that  the 
vow  she  had  made  was  indiscreet,  and 
that  she  was  not  bound  by  it.  She  then 
made  a general  confession  of  her  whole 
life  to  the  Bishop  of  Geneva.  Her  dis 
[18] 


FRANCES  DE  CIIANTAL. 

quietude  was  followed  by  peace,  and 
then  again  by  agitations  which  tormented 
her  soul.  St.  Francis  taught  her  to  profit 
by  these  various  interior  tempests,  which 
should  never  alarm  a Christian  soul,  but 
should  rather  find  it  unshaken  in  God, 
who  chastises  those  whom  he  loves. 

The  holy  bishop  taught  her  so  to  regu- 
late her  spiritual  exercises  that  her  ex- 
terior seemed  to  depend  on  the  will  of 
others,  and  above  all,  while  she  was  re- 
siding with  her  father  or  her  father-in- 
law.  Her  conduct  conciliated  all  hearts, 
and  those  who  lived  with  her  were 
accustomed  to  say : u Madame  prays  con- 
tinually, but  she  is  not  in  anybody’s 
way.” 

In  the  letters  written  to  her  at  this 
period  by  the  holy  bishop,  we  discover 
the  principles  of  that  guidance  which 
made  piety  so  amiable  to  her.  “You,” 

[17] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

said  he,  “ must  perform  every  act  through 
love  and  not  through  constraint.  ...  I 
leave  you  the  spirit  of  liberty.  ...  I 
desire,  if  any  just  or  charitable  occasion 
should  arise  to  take  you  from  your  spirit* 
ual  exercises,  that  you  should  look  on  it 
as  a species  of  obedience,  and  that  the 
momentary  suspension  of  them  should 
be  substituted  by  love.” 

Our  Saint,  though  still  living  in  the 
world,  was  now  attaining  to  the  sub* 
limest  perfection.  Her  meditations,  do- 
mestic employments,  her  austerities,  alms, 
and  visits  to  the  sick,  brought  down 
Heaven’s  choicest  blessings  on  her.  Her 
frequent  interviews  with  St.  Francis  de 
Sales,  whom  she  was  accustomed  to  meet 
from  time  to  time  at  Annecy,  served  to 
detach  her  farther  and  farther  from  the 
world.  Thus,  she  every  morning  re- 
newed her  ardent  promise  to  love  God 

[IS] 


FSAjSTCES  de  chantal. 

alone,  to  love  him  with  all  her  faculties, 
to  give  him  all  her  heart’s  longings,  and 
to  consecrate  to  him  all  her  actions. 
Such  was  her  fervor  that  she  stamped 
the  holy  name  of  Jesus  with  a heated 
iron  on  her  breast,  to  testify  that  her 
heart  throbbed  for  him  alone. 

The  more  she  was  detached  from  the 
world,  the  more  abundantly  did  God 
communicate  his  consolations  and  lights 
to  her.  The  truths  of  religion  presented 
themselves  to  her  every  day  in  such  de- 
lectable light  as  she  had  not  heretofore 
witnessed.  Often  and  often  did  she  long 
to  separate  herself  entirely  from  all  things 
on  earth,  and  all  the  bonds  that  tie  us  to 
them.  She  therefore  revealed  her  inten- 
tion to  St.  Francis  de  Sales,  who  replied^ 
saying  that  he  required  time  to  consider 
it.  After  various  interviews,  the  holy 

bishop  gave  her  to  understand  that  he 
[19j 


THE  LIFE  OE  ST.  JANE 

bad  made  up  his  mind  to  establish  a new 
congregation  under  the  name  of  the  Visit- 
ation of  Holy  Mary. 

The  pious  widow  gladly  applauded  the 
design,  but  its  execution  appeared  to  her 
to  be  very  difficult.  Now  that  her  father 
and  father-in-law  were  so  very  old,  how 
could  she  think  of  quitting  them  ? Could 
she  abandon  her  children,  who  were  still 
so  very  young?  Ought  she  not  to  watch 
over  the  administration  of  their  property  ? 
It  was,  indeed,  hard  to  reconcile  all  these 
just  obligations  with  her  religious  views. 
Does  God  require  anything  more  than 
that  we  should  sanctify  ourselves  each  in 
the  position  assigned  to  us  by  Providence  ? 
But  St.  Francis’de  Sales,  who  knew  better 
than  any  one  else  the  circumstances  of  our 
Saint,  and  what  Providence  required  of  her, 
clearly  proved  that  all  these  apparent  dif- 
ficulties were  worth  very  little.  In  the 
[20] 


FRANCES  DE  CIIANTAL. 

§rst  place,  not  being  bound  to  cloister- 
life,  she  could  easily  go  to  Burgundy  as 
often  as  the  interests  of  her  family  might 
require  her  presence.  Secondly,  there 
was  no  difficulty  in  superintending  the 
education  of  her  children  according  to  the 
manner  most  advantageous  for  them. 
This  obstacle,  ai;d  indeed  it  was  the 
chiefest  one,  being  removed,  her  father 
and  father-in-law  consented  to  her  retire- 
ment from  the  world.  Oh ! how  bitter 
was  the  separation  ! but  the  divine  love 
strengthened  her  and  raised  her  far  above 
human  weakness. 

Before  quitting  the  world,  and  in  order 
to  arrange  all  the  property  of  her  children, 
the  Baroness  de  Chantal  married  her  eld- 
est daughter  to  the  Baron  de  Thorens, 
nephew  of  the  Bishop  of  Geneva,  and  this 
union  received  the  approbation  of  the  two 
families.  She  took  her  other  daughters 
[21] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

with  her ; one  of  them  died  a short  time 
afterwards ; the  other  married  the  Count 
of  Toulonjon,  who,  to  nobility  of  birth, 
added  great  wisdom  and  virtue.  As  for 
the  young  Baron  de  Chantal,  then  aged 
fifteen  years,  the  president  Fremiot,  his 
grandfather,  undertook  to  finish  his  edu- 
cation. The  management  of  his  property 
was  confided  to  persons  of  the  highest 
honor  and  probity. 

All  these  settlements  made  by  the  pious 
widow  were  sanctioned  unexception  ably 
by  her  father,  her  father-in-law,  and  by 
the  Archbishop  of  Bo  urges,  her  uncle ; but 
when  they  were  on  the  point  of  separat- 
ing, they  seemed  to  pour  out  their  very 
hearts,  and  then  there  was  an  effort  made 
to  detain  her,  but  nothing  could  shak*. 
our  Saint’s  resolution. 

The  appointed  day  came  at  last.  St. 
lane  cast  herself  at  the  feet  of  her  father- 

m 


FRANCES  DE  CIIANTAL. 

in-law,  praying  him  to  pardon  whatsoever 
faults  she  might  have  committed.  She 
then  besought  his  blessing,  and  entreated 
him  to  watch  over  her  child  with  parental 
fondness.  The  old  Baron  de  Chantal, 
then  eighty-six  years  of  age,  was  incon- 
solable. He  tenderly  embraced  his  daugh. 
ter-in-law,  and  invoked  Heaven’s  bless- 
ing on  her.  The  inhabitants  of  the  dis- 
trict manifested  the  most  poignant  sorrow ; 
the  poor  wTept,  for  they  were  losing  a 
mother;  and  some  of  them  who  had  been 
the  special  objects  of  her  care  could  not 
be  comforted.  The  pious  widow  addressed 
a few  words  to  them.  She  exhorted  them 
to  serve  God,  and  recommended  herself  to 
their  prayers.  She  then  set  out  for  Autun 
with  the  Baron  and  the  Baroness  de  Tho* 
rens,  her  son,  her  second  daughter,  and 
some  other  persons.  Arrived  at  Dijon 
she  bade  adieu  to  all  these  to  whom  she 
[33] 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  JAKE 

had  been  particularly  attached.  Throw- 
ing herself  at  the  feet  of  her  father,  she 
begged  his  benediction,  and  besought  him 
to  take  charge  of  her  son,  whom  she  con- 
fided to  him.  The  president  Fremiot  felt 
his  heart  lacerated  at  this  painful  mo- 
ment “ O my  God ! ” he  exclaimed, 
giving  free  course  to  his  tears,  “ I dare 
not  oppose  myself  to  the  execution  of  thy 
designs,  though  they  should  cost  me  my 
life.  Lord,  I offer  to  thee  this  dear  child ; 
deign  to  receive  her,  and  to  console  me.” 
He  then  gave  her  his  benediction,  and, 
raising  her  up,  folded  her  in  his  arms. 
The  scene  grew  still  more  affecting ; the 
young  Baron  de  Chantal,  utterly  unable 
to  pronounce  a word,  rushed  to  his  mother, 
threw  himself  on  her  neck,  and  conjured 
her  to  remain  with  them.  Seeing  all  his 
efforts  of  no  avail,  he  flung  himself  down 
on  the  threshold  to  bar  her  passage.  The 
[24] 


FRANCES  DE  CHANTAL. 

baroness,  deeply  affected  by  this  spectacles, 
hesitated,  and  fixed  her  tearful  eyes  for  an 
instant  on  her  child.  She  then  stepped 
over  his  body,  and  passed  the  barrier  he 
would  fain  oppose  to  her  egress.  Much 
strength  of  mind  and  courage  was  required 
to  do  all  this ; but  once  convinced  of  her 
vocation,  she  believed  it  was  her  duty  to 
obey  its  dictates ; and  now  nothing  could 
keep  her  from  offering  herself  in  sacrifice. 

She  set  out  for  Annecy,  where  she 
arrived  safely.  She  conducted  the  Baron 
and  the  Baroness  de  Thorens  to  their 
mansion,  and  remained  there  some  days 
with  them. 

On  her  return  fiom  Annecy,  she  com 
menced  the  establishment  of  her  institute, 
on  Trinity  Sunday,  of  the  year  1610.  A 
house  was  given  to  her  by  the  holy  Bishop 
of  Geneva.  She  and  two  pious  women 
who  attached  themselves  to  her  took  the 
[25] 


b 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAIFE 

habit  on  that  memorable  day.  The  young 
community  was  soon  afterwards  augment- 
ed by  ten  other  members. 

The  Cardinal  de  Margueunont,  Arch- 
bishop of  Lyons,  having  counselled  St. 
Francis  de  Sales  to  change  the  plan  of  his 
congregation,  and  to  give  it  greater  sta- 
bility by  erecting  it  into  a religious  or- 
der, the  Baroness  de  Chantal  and  her  com- 
panions made  solemn  vows. 

The  Bishop  of  G eneva  gave  them  a rule 
founded  on  gentleness  and  humility. 
u Let  your  humility,”  said  he,  “ be  bound- 
less ; let  it  be  the  source  of  your  virtues ; 
let  it  be  manifested  in  all  your  actions, 
till  gentleness  towards  your  neighbor 
become  natural  to  you  by  force  o#f  your 
frequent  use  of  it.” 

The  holy  bishop,  in  this  rule,  did  not 
prescribe  any  great  austerity ; he  wished 
rather  that  it  should  be  within  the  reach 


L 


FRANCES  DE  CHANTAL. 

of  the  weakest  capacities,  and  that  its 
children  should  not  fall  into  laxness  by 
applying  for  any  sort  of  dispensations. 
The  constant  practice  of  mortifying  every 
little  want  (and  herein,  indeed,  is  great 
scope  for  the  mortification  of  the  senses) 
was  enjoined  by  St.  Francis,  and  this  holy 
habit  supplied  the  place  of  great  austeri- 
ties. Thus,  this  rule,  though  less  rigorous  ' 
than  many  others,  and  in  appearance  more 
easily  practised,  admitted  of  no  relaxa- 
tion or  dispensation  in  such  things  as  re- 
garded the  interior  mortification  of  the 
passions  and  the  senses.  It  consequently 
taught,  in  the  most  efficacious  manner,  the 
grand  art  of  dying  to  one’s  self.  “We  must 
die,”  said  St.  Francis  to  his  children, u that 
God  may  live  in  us.  It  is  impossible  that 
our  £ouls  should  by  any  other  means  be 
united  to  God.”  These  words  appear 
hard ; but  yet  is  it  not  a consolation  to 
[27] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

know  that  by  this  death  we  may  arrive  at 
life  in  the  Sovereign  Source  of  all  life? 
“ You  ask  me,”  says  the  Saint,  “ what  1 
would  have  most  deeply  graven  on  your 
hearts  ? Ah  ! what  can  I say  to  you,  my 
dear  children,  that  is  not  contained  in 
these  few  words : desire  nothing,  and  re- 
fuse nothing ! Behold  the  infant  Jesus 
in  his  crib.  He  does  not  refuse  -cold,  nor 
poverty,  nor  nudity,  nor  the  companion- 
ship of  beasts,  nor  the  inclemency  of  the 
seasons — in  a word,  nothing  of  that  which 
his  Father  permitted.  . . . He  refuses 

not  the  most  trifling  consolations  that  his 
mother  can  procure  him.  . . . Thus 

should  we,  too,  accept  everything  that  is 
sent  us  according  to  the  dispensations  of 
Providence.” 

It  was  thus  by  these  various  maxims 
that  our  holy  foundress  regulated  her 
own  conduct  and  that  of  her  sisterhood. 

[28] 


FRANCES  DE  CHANTAL. 

Humility,  obedience,  renouncement  of  self- 
will,  mortification  of  every  passion,  mild- 
ness, and  charity  were  the  virtues  which 
she  incessantly  inculcated  both  by  word 
and  example.  To  God  she  would  refuse 
nothing ; and  her  generosity  was  such  that, 
a short  while  after  her  religious  profession, 
she  thought  of  binding  herself  by  vow 
always  to  do  what  she  conceived  to  be  the 
most  perfect.  St.  Francis  de  Sales,  whom 
she  consulted,  gave  her  his  permission,  for 
he  knew  her  fervor,  and  he  never  doubt- 
ed that  she  would  faithfully  accomplish 
any  engagement  that  she  contracted.  Oh  ! 
how  ardent  was  the  soul  of  that  blessed 
woman  ! “ The  whole  world,”  says  she  in 

a letter  to  St.  Fi*ancis  de  Sales — “the 
whole  world  would  die  of  love  for  a God 
so  amiable,  if  it  only  knew  the  sweetness 
that  the  soul  tastes  in  loving  him.” 

After  the  death  of  her  father,  our  Saint 


[29] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

made  a journey  to  Dijon,  to  arrange  the 
affairs  of  her  family.  She  was  frequently 
obliged  to  quit  Annecy  to  visit  the  vari- 
ous districts  in  which  the  houses  of  her 
Order  were  situated.  Thus  she  went 
from  time  to  time  to  Grenoble,  Bourges, 
Dijon,  Moulins,  Nevers,  Orleans,  and 
Paris.  In  the  latter  city  she  spent  three 
years,  in  the  Convent  of  the  Visitation. 
It  was  here  that  she  became  acquainted 
with  St.  Vincent  de  Paul,  to  whom  St. 
Francis  de  Sales  had  confided  the  direc- 
tion of  that  monastery.  She  was  of  great 
assistance  to  St.  Vincent  in  establishing 
the  “ Daughters  of  Charity,”  to  whom  the 
institution  of  the  religious  of  the  Visita- 
tion served  as  a model. 

During  the  progress  of  these  various 
foundations  which  engaged  her  attention, 
our  Saint  had  to  encounter  many  re- 
verses and  persecutions;  but  her  confi- 
rso] 


FRANCES  DE  CH  ANTAL. 

deuce  in  God  enabled  her  to  triumph  over 
them  all ; and  her  gentleness  and  patience 
won  for  her  the  admiration  of  even  those 
who  had  been  most  bitterly  opposed  to 

her. 

In  1622,  God  took  to  himself  the  great 
spiritual  guide  of  our  Saint,  the  Bishop 
of  Geneva.  She  felt  this  loss  most  sensi- 
bly ; but  she  was  so  accustomed  to  adore* 
the  divine  will  in  all  things  that  she 
bore  it  with  admirable  patience.  She 
caused  the  greatest  honors  to  be  bestowed 
on  the  body  of  the  holy  prelate,  who  was 
interred  in  the  Convent  of  the  Visitation 
at  Annecy.  She  collected  a part  of  his 
works,  and  she  likewise  made  every  effort 
to  obtain  his  beatification.  During  the 
lifetime  of  the  Saint,  Mother  de  Chantal 
established  thirteen  houses  of  her  Order; 
and  after  his  death  the  number  of  them 
amounted  to  twenty-seven. 

[31] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JA1TE 


After  the  decease  of  St.  Francis  de 
Sales,  Mother  de  Chantal  had  to  experi- 
ence various  losses  of  the  members  of  her 
own  family,  which  sorely  afflicted  her 
tender  heart. 

In  1627,  the  Baron  de  Chantal,  her  only 
son,  was  killed  whilst  fighting  against  the 
Huguenots  in  the  Island  of  Rhe ; but  it 
‘was  a great  source  of  consolation  to  his 
mother  to  know  that  he  had  received  the 
sacraments  before  entering  the  battle. 
He  was  in  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  his 
age,  and  left  a daughter,  aged  one  year, 
who  was  subsequently  the  celebrated 
Marchioness  de  Sevigne. 

On  hearing  this  melancholy  event,  our 
Saint  wept  copiously.  But  yet  she  main- 
tained the  most  profound  resignation  to 
the  will  of  God.  She  threw  herself  on 
her  knees,  and,  with  eyes  raised  up  to  hea* 
ven,  pronounced  the  following  words  s* 

m 


FRANCES  DE  CH ANTAL. 


demonstrative  of  her  entire  subjection  to 
the  decrees  of  the  Most  High  : 

-l  My  Redeemer,  I accept  this  visitation 
from  thee  with  all  the  submission  of  my 
soul.  I beseech  thee  to  take  my  child 
into  thine  embraces.  . . . Oh ! my 

son,  my  dear  son,  I rejoice  that  thou  hast 
sealed  the  fidelity  of  thy  sires  to  the  faith 
with  thy  blood.  This  is  to  me  a high 
honor,  and  I give  God  thanks  for  having 
made  me  thy  mother.” 

Our  Saint  was  accustomed  to  offer  hei 
heart  to  God  on  all  occasions  of  unforeseen 
accidents ; at  such  moments,  she  was  wont 
to  say : “ Lord,  destroy,  cut  down,  and  con- 
sume everything  that  is  opposed  to  thy 
holy  will.” 

In  1631,  she  had  to  witness  the  depar 
ture  out  of  this  life  of  her  daughter-in- 
law,  the  Baroness  de  Chantal,  and  of  the 
Count  de  Toulonjon,  her  son-in-law,  whom 
[33] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAjSTE 


she  loved  devotedly,  and  who  was  Gover- 
nor of  Pigrierol. 

All  those  visitations  served  only  to 
rive  additional  lustre  to  the  sanctity  of 
Mother  Chantal.  They  taught  her  to  tri 
umph  over  herself,  and,  as  it  were,  to  be 
mistress  of  her  own  heart.  Thence  came 
the  salutary  lessons  of  self-renouncement 
that  she  imparted  to  her  community. 

“ Our  Lord,”  said  she,  u has  attached 
the  reward  of  his  love  and  of  eternal 
glory  to  the  victory  we  win  over  our- 
selves. You  cannot  be  the  spouses  of 
Jesus  Christ  if  you  do  not  crucify  your 
judgment,  your  will,  and  inclinations, 
that  you  may  be  conformed  to  him.  We 
are  boin  full  of  evil  propensities  which 
must  be  lopped  off,  for  otherwise  we  never 
can  be  conformed  to  him  who  is  holy  and 
perfect.” 

On  one  occasion,  she  received  a letter 

[34] 


FEANCES  DE  CH ANTAL 

asking  her  opinion  of  a religious  person 
who  seemed  to  live  a life  of  great  virtue, 
and  who,  it  was  said,  received  extraordi- 
nary graces  from  God.  Here  is  her  an- 
swer: “ You  have  sent  me  the  leaves  of 
the  tree : send  me  some  of  its  fruits,  in 
order  that  I may  judge  of  them ; I set  lit- 
tle value  on  simple  leaves.  All  I can  say 
at  present  is  that  the  fruits  of  a good  heart 
that  God  nourishes  are  total  oblivion  of 
self,  an  unbounded  love  of  humiliations, 
and  a limitless  joy  for  all  that  is  done  to 
advance  God’s  glory.” 

The  plague  having  committed  terrible 
ravages  at  Annecy,  the  Duke  and  Du- 
chess of  Savoy  endeavored  to  induce  Mo- 
ther Chantal  to  go  to  them  ; but  nothing 
could  tempt  her  to  abandon  her  dear 
community.  The  contagion  never  visited 
her  convent,  and  none  of  the  sisterhood 
died  of  it. 

[36] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

In  1638,  the  Duchess  of  Savoy  brought 
her  to  Turin,  to  establish  a convent  of  her 
Order  in  that  city.  Arrived  at  Moulins, 
she  was  seized  with  fever.  Her  malady 
now  became  an  inflammation  of  the  chest. 
She  received  the  sacraments  with  the  ten- 
derest  sentiments  of  piety ; and  then,  after 
having  given  her  last  instructions  to  her 
spiritual  children,  she  slept  in  the  Lord 
on  the  13  th  December,  1641,  aged  sixty  - 
nine  years. 

Many  miracles  having  been  proved  as 
wrought  by  her  intercession,  she  was  be- 
atified by  Benedict  XIV.  in  1751.  Cle- 
ment XIII.  canonized  her  in  1767,  and 
fixed  her  festival  on  the  21st  of  August. 

The  body  of  St.  Jane  now  reposes  in 
the  Church  of  the  Visitation  at  Annecy, 
and  her  heart  in  the  Church  of  the  Visi- 
tation at  La  Charite,  on  the  Loire. 

A collection  of  the  letters  and  othei 
[36] 


FRANCES  DE  CHANTAL. 

writings  of  our  Saint  is  familiar  to  the 
generality  of  readers,  and  we  subjoin  a 
few  extracts,  to  show  what  was  the  mind 
and  character  of  this  daughter  of  St.  Fran- 
cis  de  Sales. 

To  a Superioress  of  the  Visitation .. 

u Gain  by  love  the  hearts  of  your  chil- 
dren, that  they  may  have  confidence  in 
you.  Never  reproach  them  before  others 
with  the  imperfections  which  they  com- 
municate to  you  in  secret.  Be  candid 
with  all,  and  particularly  with  those  who 
reveal  their  weaknesses  to  you,  lest  they 
apprehend  that  you  slight  them  on  that 
account.  Do  not  burden  their  conscien- 
ces ; see  that  they  live  contentedly,  allow- 
ing them  reasonable  liberty,  that  their 
souls  may  enjoy  peace  by  the  aid  of  those 
[37]  \ . 

F 


i. 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JANE 

in  whom  God  lias  taught  them  to  place 
confidence. 

“ Anticipate  their  wants,  so  that  they 
may  want  for  no  spiritual  or  bodily  con- 
solation. 

“ Be  affable  to  all,  and  despise  no  one, 
no  matter  how  imperfect ; for,  since  God 
is  patient,  why  should  you  not  be  patient  ? 
In  a word,  live  and  converse  with  every 
one,  so  that  each  one  may  think  that  he 
or  she  is  the  particular  object  of  youi 
affection.” 


To  Another . 

“Your  responsibility,  my  dear  daugh- 
ter, is  a mother’s  responsibility;  apply 
yourself  to  the  concerns  of  your  house- 
hold. 

“Rear  up  your  children  devout,  for  on 

[38] 


I 

FRANCES  DE  CHANTAL. 

that  their  good  depends.  Be  not  of  the 
number  of  those  tender  mothers  who 
dare  not  chastise  their  children ; but  be 
not  of  the  number  of  those  excitable 
mothers  who  never  spare  reproaches.  All 
your  children  will  not  go  to  the  same 
perfection.  Some  will  soar  high,  others 
not  so  high,  and  others  will  keep  a mid- 
dle course.  Manage  each  according  to 
his  or  her  capabilities,  and  let  those 
maxims  serve  as  a guide  for  your  conduct. 

“ Let  them  practise  their  spiritual  exer- 
cises faithfully,  and  let  the  letter  of  the 
law  be  vivified  by  the  spirit.  Let  your 
affection  be  equally  distributed  amongst 
all ; but  guide  each  and  all  according  to 
the  gifts  which  God  bestows  on  them. 
Let  the  employment  of  each  be  regulated 
according  to  God’s  will,  and  not  accord- 
ing  to  their  own  caprice.  If  your  con 
duct  be  praised,  give  thanks  to  God,  to 
. T391 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAHE 


whom  the  glory  belongs,  and  humble 
yourself  before  him.  If  you  be  blamed, 
always  humble  yourself.  Correct  your- 
self if  you  be  in  fault.  If  you  be  not  in 
fault,  thank  God  for  having  given  you 
opportunity  to  suffer  for  him ; and  hold 
for  certain  that  this  will  be  sufficient  if 
you  are  humble,  gentle,  and  devout. 

u As  to  temporal  concerns,  be  neither 
too  parsimonious  nor  too  munificent ; if 
you  are  poor,  proceed  cautiously,  and  do 
not  involve  yourself  in  debt ; if  you  are 
rich,  proceed  with  discretion  and  charity, 
and  never  allow  the  poor  and  the  sick  to 
suffer  evils  which  it  may  be  in  your  power 
to  remove  or  to  remedy.” 

To  Another . 

“ My  dear  child,  take  care  that  you  be 
more  rigid  to  yourself  than  to  others.  I 

[40] 


FRANCES  DE  CHANTAL. 


speak  not  now  of  your  corporeal  infirmi< 
ties,  for  yon  must  be  charitable  to  your- 
self as  well  as  to  your  nearest  neighbor, 
otherwise  you  should  be  a cause  of  un- 
ceasing disquiet  to  your  children.  I 
would  have  you  understand  me  as  speak- 
ing of  those  minor  miseries  of  the  human 
soul.  The  more  I see,  and  the  more  I 
think  on  it,  the  more  am  I convinced  that 
gentleness  is  absolutely  necessary  to  get 
possession  of  the  human  heart,  and  to 
cause  it  to  perform  its  duty  without  tyr- 
anny. Since  our  sisters  are  our  sheep  in 
the  Lord,  we  are  allowed,  for  their  guid- 
ance, to  touch  them  with  the  shepherd’s 
crook,  but  never  to  worry  them.  ’Tis  for 
the  master  alone  to  do  with  them  as  he 
pleases. 

“ Compassionate  those  failings  which 
have  no  malice  in  them.  Remember  that 

those  whom  you  govern  are  not  angels, 
T41] 


ST.  JANE  FRANCES  BE  CH ANTAL. 

but  fragile  creatures ; and  always  weigh 
well  within  yourself  whether  you  are 
asking  them  to  do  impossibilities.” 

PRAYER. 

Holy  Saint  Chantal,  who  so  admirably 
accomplished  God’s  will — oh ! thou  in 
whom  shone  forth  patience,  humility,  and 
self-denial,  obtain  for  us  of  God  those 
virtues  which  may  entitle  us  to  heaven, 
and  secure  for  us  here  below  true  peace, 
perfect  liberty,  and  solid  contentment,” 


l«»] 


Jl 


* 


THE  LIFE 

OP 

SAINT  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 


CT.  JAMES,  son  of  Zebedee  and  Salome, 
was  brother  to  St.  John  the  Evangel- 
ist, and  closely  related  to  Jesus  Cheist. 
He  was  snrnamed  Major , to  distinguished 
him  from  the  Apostle  of  the  same  name 
who  was  Bishop  of  Jerusalem.  He  was 
born  about  twelve  years  before  our  Lord. 
Salome,  his  mother,  was  also  called  Mary, 
and  was  sister  to  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Some  would  have  us  take  this  relationship 
in  the  literal  sense,  whilst  the  generality 
of  commentators  are  of  opinion  that  it 
signifies  cousin-german. 

O O 

St.  James  was  born  in  Galilee.  His 

[i] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

occupation  was  that  of  a fisherman,  a 
trade  which  was  exercised  by  his  father 
and  brother.  It  is  thought  that  they 
were  all  three  located  in  Bethsaida,  where 
also  dwelt  St.  Peter  about  that  period. 

Jesus,  walking  along  the  Sea  of  Galilee, 
says  the  Evrangelist,  saw  the  two  brothers, 
Simon,  called  Peter,  and  Andrew,  his 
brother,  who  were  then  casting  their  nets 
into  the  sea,  for  they  were  fishermen,  and 
he  said  to  them,  “ Follow  me,  and  I will 
make  ye  fishers  of  meri.  They  immediate- 
ly left  their  nets,  and  followed  him.” 
Going  a little  further  on,  he  saw  two 
other  brothers,  James,  son  of  Zebedee, 
and  John  his  brother,  who  were  in  a boat 
with  Zebedee  their  father,  and  who  were 
engaged  mending  theij*  nets.  The  Saviour 
called  them.  On  the  instant,  they  quitted 
their  nets,  and  followed  him.  It  is  prol> — 
able,  that,  even  before  their  vocation,  they 

T2] 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

knew  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  and  that 
they  learned  this  in  their  intercourse  with 
Peter,  or  from  some  other  source.  How- 
ever that  may  have  been,  they  did  not 
hesitate  to  follow  Christ.  They  thought 
not  of  the  difficulties  they  would  have  to 
surmount,  or  of  the  dangers  that  might 
result ; their  sacrifice  was  whole  and 
perfect.  Such  ought  to  be  the  disposition 
of  our  souls.  We  should  at  all  times  be 
prepared  to  renounce  everything  for  the 
greater  glory  of  Grod. 

Although  James  and  John  attached 
themselves  to  Christ,  and  although  they 
never  lost  a word  of  his  divine  instructions 
they  left  him,  nevertheless,  from  time  to 
time,  to  return  to  their  employment,  in 
order  to  secure  the  necessaries  of  life  ; but, 
after  witnessing  the  miraculous  draught 
of  fishes,  they  never  separated  themselves 
from  him. 

f3i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

They  were  present  when  Jesus  cured 
St.  Peter’s  mother-in-law,  and  also  when 
he  resuscitated  the  daughter  of  Jairus, 
and  their  faith  was  amply  rewarded  by 
witnessing  these  two  miracles;  but  a 
greater  favor  was  reserved  for  them. 
Christ  admitted  them  into  the  number  of 
his  Apostles,  wThom  he  was  selecting  at 
that  moment.  On  account  of  the  activity 
of  their  zeal,  he  termed  them  “ Sons  of 
Thunder  for  indeed  their  zeal  was  not 
of  the  ordinary  character.  As  the  time 
approached  when  our  Lord  was  to  sacri- 
fice himself  for  the  world,  he  set  out  on 
his  way  to  Jerusalem,  after  sending  some 
persons  before  him  to  announce  his  com- 
ing. Those  who  were  sent  on  this  errand 
entered  a town  of  Samaria,  to  prepare 
whatever  might  be  necessary  for  the  Re- 
deemer ; but  that  town  would  not  receive 
him,  because  “ his  face  was  of  one  going 

— -w—  — 


/ 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

to  Jerusalem.”  Jambs  and  John,  seeing 
this,  said  to  him : “ Lord,  wilt  thou  that 
we  command  fire  to  come  down  from  hea- 
ven, and  consume  thsem?”  But  turning 
to  them,  he  replied  : “ You  know  not  of 
what  spirit  you  are.  The  Son  of  man 
came  not  to  destroy  souls,  but  to  save.” 

In  those  words,  he  gave  them  to  under- 
stand that  the  only  arms  to  be  employed 
against  sinners  are  sweetness  and  patience. 

Along  with  Peter  James,  and  John 
were  the  Apostles  on  whom  the  Lord 
heaped  his  most  special  favors.  He  per- 
mitted them  to  be  spectators  of  his  glori- 
ous transfiguration,  aiid  witnssses  of  his 
agony  in  the  Garden  of  Olives  ; but,  not- 
withstanding the  instructions  and  exam 
pies  of  the  Redeemer,  their  spirits  wrere 
not  perfectly  enlightei^ed,  nor  their  hearts 
sufficiently  purified, 'a^  -may  -be  seen  from 
the  following  jfacf.  The  mother  of  James 
[5] 

- 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

and  John,  prejudiced  in  favor  of  her  sons, 
expected  that  great  honor  should  be  be- 
stowed on  them,  because  they  were  closely 
related  to  Jesus.  She  imagined,  accord- 
ing to  the  material  notions  which  the 
Jews  had  formed  of  the  Messiah,  that  he 
was  about  to  establish  a temporal  mon- 
archy. She  therefore  petitioned  the  Lord 
to  cause  her  two  sons  to  sit,  one  on  his 
right  hand,  and  the  other  on  his  left,  in  his 
kingdom.  Here  we  have  an  instance  of 
the  excess  to  which  a misdirected  affection 
is  sure  to  lead;  for,  indeed,  it  blinds  pa- 
rents— nay,  inclines  them  to  flatter  the 
hidden  passions  of  their  children,  and  fre- 
quently to  excuse  them ; thus  bringing 
them  up  in  vice.  From  this  we  may  also 
collect  that  ambition  could  insinuate  it- 
self even  into  the  hearts  of  those  who 
were  called  to  the  apostleship.  James 
and  John  had  not  taken  the  proper  view 
[6] 


THE  LITE  CF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

of  the  interior  disposition  of  their  souls. 
They  fancied  that  they  were  actuated  by 
a praiseworthy  emulation,  and  a sincere 
desire  of  serving  their  master.  But  they 
still  wanted  that  pure  humility  which 
alone  could  enable  them  to  discern  right- 
ly the  specious  pretexts  under  which  pride 
and  covetousness  are  wont  to  conceal 
themselves;; 

The  sons  of  Zebedee  spoke  through 
their  mother’s  lips;  and  it  was  to  them, 
consequently,  that  the  Lord  addressed  his 
reply  : “You  know  not,”  said  he,  u what 
ye  ask.  It  is  not  by  ambition  that  you 
will  gain  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  by 
humility,  patience,  and  labor.”  He  then 
asked  them  if  they  could  drink  the  cha- 
lice of  his  sufferings,  and  when  they  an- 
swered, “We  can  ” (for  they  then  knew 
on  what  condition  the  Lord  offered  them 
his  kingdom,  and  they  burned  to  suffer 
[71 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

with  him),  the  Saviour  rejoined:  “You 
shall,  indeed,  drink  of  the  chalice  that  I 
drink  of;  and  with  the  baptism  where- 
with I am  baptized,  you  shall  be  baptiz 
ed ; but  to  sit  on  my  right  hand  or  on 
my  left  is  not  mine  to  give  you,  but  to 
them  for  whom  it  is  prepared.”  The 
other  ten  Apostles,  having  heard  this, 
were  angry  with  the  two  brothers;  but 
Jesus,  calling  them  to  him,  said:  “You 
know  that  they  who  seem  to  rule  over 
the  Gentiles  lord  it  over  them,  and  their 
princes  have  power  over  them ; but  it  is 
not  so  among  you;  but  whosoever  will 
be  greater  shall  be  your  minister,  and 
whosoever  will  be  the  "first  among  you 
shall  be  the  servant  of  all.” 

Nor  are  we  to  infer  from  this  that 
Jesus  Christ  meant  to  destroy  the  order 
which  God  himself  has  established  in 
human  society,  where  some  must  Corn- 
ell 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

mand,  and  others  must  obey.  He  mere* 
ly  prescribes  what  should  be  the  disposi* 
tions  of  those  who  have  been  constituted 
by  divine  Providence  to  serve  as  guides  to 
others.  This  is  beautifully  developed  by 
St.  Augustine,  who,  speaking  of  Christian 
princes,  says : “ Happy  are  the  princes 
who  reign  with  justicei;  happy  are  they 
when  they  do  not  suffer  themselves  to  be 
blinded  by  the  flatteries  of  those  who 
surround  them ; happy  are  they  when 
they  know  that  they  are  men,  and  when 
they  employ  their  power  to  protect  the 
religion  of  the  true  God,  and  render  his 
holy  name  respected  by  the  human  race ; 
happy  are  they  whilst  they  love  the  Lord 
and  fear  him ; happy  are  they  whilst  they 
keep  in  sight  that  other  kingdom  where 
they  shall  have  many  companions ; whilst 
they  temper  the  severity  to  which  they 
must  have  recourse  with  sweetness ; 

T9] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

whilst  they  glory  more  in  subduing  their 
own  passions  than  in  subjugating  peo- 
ples; whilst,  in  fine,  they  discharge  their 
luties,  not  for  a motive  of  vain-glory,  but 
with  a view  to  eternal  beatitude.” 

After  our  Lord’s  ascension,  the  Apostles 
labored  unanimously  in  propagating  his 
doctrine  ; but  the  writers  of  the  first  cen- 
turies have  left  us  no  records  of  St.  James’s 
labors.  It  would  appear,  however,  that  he 
left  Judea  a short  time  after  the  martyr- 
dom of  St.  Stephen.  According  to  vener- 
able tradition,  he  seems  to  have  gone  to 
carry  the  light  of  the  Gospel  into  Spain. 

We  are  told  by  St.  Epiphanius  that  St. 
James  lived  always  unmarried,  and  in  the 
practice  of  the  most  austere  mortifica- 
tions; that  he  used  neither  meat  nor 
fish ; that  he  wore  poor  clothing ; and 
that  his  whole  conduct  was  most  edify* 
ing.  He  was  the  first  of  tlie  Apostles 
[10] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

who  followed  his  divine  Master  by  mar- 
tyrdom. He  suffered  at  Jerusalem,  to 
which  city  he  returned  eleven  years  after 
the  ascension  of  our  Lord.  Let  us  de- 
scribe his  death  Agrippa  had  been 
educated  at  Lome  during  the  reign  of 
Tiberius;  there  he  became  acquainted 
with  Caligula,  and  secured  the  good 
graces  of  this  infamous  prince  by  basely 
pandering  to  his  passions.  Caligula  had 
scarcely  been  raised  to  the  throne,  when, 
he  determined  on  showing  his  affection 
for  Agrippa  by  giving  him,  along  with 
the  title  of  king,,  the  tetrarchates  of  Phi- 
lippis  and  Lysanias,  then  vacant.  In  the 
forty-first  year  of  the_Christian  era,  the 
Emperor  Claudius  added  new  donations 
to  those  of  Caligula ; so  much  so  that  the 
whole  country,  which  had  hitherto  be- 
longed to  KingJIerod,  was  now  subj ected 
to  the  new  king. 

[ii] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

Agrippa  professed  . the  Mosaic  law; 
and,  as  one  of  its  most  zealous  advocates, 
lie  kindled  a terrible  persecution  against 
the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  knew 
that  by  this  artifice  he  would  win  the 
hearts  of  the  Jews.  He  therefore  availed 
himself  of  the  journey  that  he  made  from 
Cesarea  to  Jerusalem  at  the  time  of  the 
Pasch  (a.d.  43),  to  testify  to  them  kis 
desire  of  conciliating  them.  St.  James 
was  the  first  victim  of  his  policy.  Hav- 
ing  caused  him  to  be  arrested  a few  .days 
before  the  Pasch,  he  ordered  him  to  be 
beheaded,  and  this  order  was  executed 
forthwith.  This  occurred  fourteen  years 
after  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Agrippa  was  the  first  persecutor  of  the 
Church,  but  he  soon  felt  the  effects  of 
divine  vengeance.  One  day,  while  en- 
gaged at  the  public  games  which  he  de- 
creed in  honor  of  Claudius  at  Cesarea,  in 
[12] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 

toxicated  by  the  flatteries  of  tfy>se  who 
called  him  a god,  he  forgot  that  he  was  a 
mortal,  and  suffered  himself  to  be  trans- 
ported by  the  blasphemous  praises  of  his 
creatures ; but  at  that  very  instant,  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  struck  him  with  a hor- 
rible malady.  After  having  languished 
for  five  days  in  the  most  terrible  agonies, 
without  experiencing  any  benefit  from  the 
doctors,  who  could  not  prevent  the  worms 
from  preying  on  him  whilst  he  was  still 
living,  he  expired  in  awful  pain,  and,  un 
happily,  in  the  impious  sentiments  that  he 
always  cherished. 

Eusebius  asserts  that  the  man  who 
denounced  St.  James  was  so  struck  by 
his  courage  and  constancy  that  he  be- 
came a convert,  and  that  he  was  con- 
demned to  die  along  with  him.  As  they 
were  conducting  him  to  the  place  of  exe- 
cution, he  turned  to  St.  James,  and  prayed 
m 


TILE  LIFE  OF  8T.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE. 


his  pardon  for  having  betrayed  him  into 
the  hands  of  his  persecutors.  Thereon 
the  Saint  paused  fora  moment,  and,  after 
embracing  him,  said,  “ Peace  be  with 
thee  ” ; they  were  both  beheaded  on  the 
same  spot. 

The  body  of  St.  James  was  interred  at 
Jerusalem  ; but  a short  while  afterwards, 
his  disciples  carried  it  to  Spain,  and 
inhumed  it  at  Iria-Flavia,  on  the  frontiers 
of  Galicia.  During  the  reign  of  Alphonso 
the  Chaste,  in  the  ninth  century,  his  relics 
were  discovered ; by  order  of  this  prince, 
they  were  translated  to  Compostella,  to 
which  place  Pope  Leo  III.  transferred  the 
episcopal  see  of  Iria-Flavia.  This  place  is 
sometimes  called  “ Ad  Sanctum  Jacobum , 
Apostolum ,”  or  Giacomo  Postolo , whence 
is  derived,  by  abbreviation,  the  name 
Compostella . It  is  famous  for  the  multi 
tudes  of  pilgrims  who  go  thither  to  vene- 
rui 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  JAMES  THE  APOSTLE* 


rate  the  relics  of  St.  James  in  the  Cathe- 
dral, 

There  is  in  Spain  a military  Order  call- 
ed the  Order  of  St.  James,  to  which  is 
superadded  the  title  “ Noble.”  It  was  in- 
stituted by  Ferdinand  the  Second  in 
1175. 


PRAYER. 

Great  Saint,  who  preceded  all  the 
other  Apostles  in  following  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord  by  martyrdom,  obtain  for  us, 
from  the  divine  Master,  whose  society 
thou  art  now  enjoying,  the  graces  that 
will  enable  us  to  drink  patiently  the 
chalice  of  sufferings  and  trials  that  he 
may  be  pleased  to  send  us ; beseech  him 
to  give  us  an  ardent  zeal,  but  a zeal  that 
is  enlightened  and  humble. 


THE  LIFE  OF  SAINT  MARTIN 


BISHOP  OF  TOURS. 


AINT  MARTIN  was  born  a.d.  316, 


^ at  Sabary,  a city  of  Panonia,  now 
called  Hungary.  His  family  was  of  dis- 
tinguished rank.  His  father,  from  a sim- 
ple soldier,  rose  to  be  a military  tribune, 
and  enjoyed  in  the  army  authority  equal 
to  that  exercised  by  the  consuls  in  other 
parts  of  the  empire.  But  here  on  earth 
there  is  only  one  title  precious  in  the 
sio*ht  of  God,  and  without  which  all  the 
others  are  but  empty  sounds:  it  is  the 
title  of  Christian,  which  was  not  possessed 
by  Martin’s  parents,  who  had  the  misfor- 
tune to  be  plunged  in  the  errors  of  idola* 


THE  LITE  OF  ST.  MARTIX. 

try.  Martin  was  very  young  when  his 
parents  left  Hungary  for  Milan,  in  Italy. 
The  family  settled  at  Pavia.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  in  this  place  Martin  was  called 
to  a knowledge  of  that  God  to  whom  he 
was  ever  afterwards  united  by  the  bonds 
of  charity. 

At  the  age  of  ten  years,  Martin,  in- 
flamed by  holy  zeal,  proceeded  to  the 
church  of  Pavia,  where,  despite  all  the 
obstacles  thrown  in  his  way  by  his  father 
and  mother,  he  was  received  amongst  the 
Catechumens.  He  was  admitted  after 
having  generously  professed  the  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  signed  his  forehead 
with  the  sacred  sign  of  the  cross. 

Being  now  enriched  with  divine  grace, 
the  holy  youth  thought  of  nothing  but 
piety;  all  his  desires  tended  to  glorify 
God,  and  he  resolved  to  consecrate  him- 
self to  his  service.  The  deserts  of  the 
12] 


t 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIH. 


East  were  then  peopled  by  solitaires 
who  everywhere  shed  about  them  the 
odor  of  their  virtues.  Martin  had  scarce- 
ly heard  of  them,  when  he  made  up  his 
mind  to  proceed  thither,  with  a view  to 
finding  a safe  asylum  for  his  innocence. 
Although  so  very  young,  he  would  have 
carried  out  his  design,  had  not  his  father, 
who  was  sorely  grieved  at  the  boy's 
change  of  manner,  sought  by  every  means 
to  prevent  him.  An  opportunity  soon 
presented  itself  which  his  father  gladly 
seized.  The  emperors  had  some  time  be- 
fore published  an  edict  commanding  all 
the  sons  of  the  veterans  to  be  enrolled  in 
the  army,  and,  in  obedience  to  this  com- 
mand, Martin  had  to  enter  the  ranks. 
He  therefore  took  the  military  oath,  and 
faithfully  performed  all  the  duties  of  his 
new  profession.  Never  was  soldier  more 
obedient  to  his  officers,  more  intrepid  in 
[31 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MAETIN. 

danger,  more  esteemed  by  his  chiefs  or 
more  loved  by  his  companions  in  arms. 

Faithful  to  Caesar,  he  was  still  more 
faithful  to  his  God.  Instead  of  corrupt- 
ing himself,  as  too  often  happens  in  the 
military  profession,  he  grew  more  virtuous 
day  by  day,  and  always  proved  himself 
to  be  filled  with  the  love  of  God  and  of 
his  neighbor.  Let  us  read  an  instance  of 
this  that  deserves  to  be  classed  amongst 
the  most  celebrated  acts  of  Christian  cha- 
rity. We  will  quote  the  words  of  Sulpi- 
cius  Sever  us,  the  pious  biographer  of  our 
Saint : u In  the  depth  of  a rigorous  win- 
ter, when  many  persons  were  dying  of 
cold,  Martin  one  day  met  at  the  gate  of 
Amiens  a poor  old  man  half  naked. 
This  poor  creature  besought  the  passers* 
by  to  have  pity  on  him,  but  they  went  on 
disregardful.  The  man  of  God  knew  that 
this  wretched  being  on  whom  none  had 
141 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

pity  was  reserved  for  him.  But  what 
could  Martin  do?  He  had  distributed 
nearly  all  his  clothes  to  the  poor,  and  he 
had  now  nothing  but  his  cloak.  On  the 
instant  he  drew  his  sword,  cut  the  cloak 
in  twain,  and  gave  one-half  of  it  to  the 
poor  man,  and  kept  the  other  for  himself. 
Some  of  the  spectators  began  to  laugh  on 
seeing  his  garment  mutilated  thus;  but 
others,  more  thoughtful  and  more  sensi- 
tive, sighed  in  the  depths  of  their  hearts 
when  they  remembered  they  had  not  done 
anything  like  this.  They  indeed  could 
have  clothed  the.  naked  without  denuding 
themselves.  On  the  night  following, 
Martin  during  his  sleep  beheld  Jesus 
Christ  clad  with  the  portion  of  the  cloak 
that  he  had  bestowed  on  the  mendicant. 
4 Look  at  me,  Martin,’  said  the  Lord,  ‘and 
recognize  and  see  the  garment  thou  hast 
bestowed.’  Then,  turning  to  the  angels 
[51 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTEN" 

who  surrounded  him,  the  Lord  said,  ‘ Mar- 
tin the  Catechumen  has  given  me  this 
garment.’  ” 

Long  and  earnestly  did  Martin  sigh  for 
the  happy  moment  in  which  he  was  to  be 
made  a Christian  ; but  immediately  after 
this  apparition,  he  hastened  to  be  baptized. 
It  is  believed  that  he  received  the  sacra- 
ment of  regeneration  from  St.  Hilary,  who 
then  occupied  the  episcopal  chair  of  the 
city  of  Poitiers.  It  is  certain,  however, 
that  he  always  regarded  this  great  de- 
fender of  the  faith  as  his  master  and  father 
in  Jesus  Christ. 

Coming  forth  from  the  regenerating 
waters,  Martin  felt  himself  burning  with 
a faith  still  more  vivid,  and  filled  with 
redoubled  ardor  for  the  service  of  God. 
Had  he  been  free  to  accomplish  his  wish- 
es, he  would  from  that  moment  have  re- 
nounced the  world  ; but  the  necessity  of 
[6] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 


a discharge  from  the  army,  and,  above  all, 
the  hope  of  converting  an  officer  who  pro- 
mised to  renounce  the  world  as  soon  as 
the  term  of  his  service  had  expired, 
obliged  him  to  leave  St.  Hilary,  in  order 
to  return  to  the  camp,  where  he  remained 
two  years. 

Martin  now  had  to  proceed  to  Rheims, 
wkere  the  troops  were  ordered  to  meet  the 
Emperor  Julian.  He  then  marched  to  the 
Rhine,  and  took  part  in  some  battles 
fought  on  the  banks  of  that  river.  But 
fearing  that  the  war  would  be  protracted, 
he  seized  the  first  favorable  opportunity 
of  asking  his  discharge  from  the  emperor. 
Now,  this  request  was  made  on  the  eve 
of  a battle,  when  Julian,  wishing  to 
inspire  his  troops  with  courage,  distribut- 
ed medals  amongst  them.  Martin  was  call- 
ed in  his  turn  to  receive  his  medal ; but, 
as  it  was  not  his  intention  to  serve  the 

m 




TILE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

rest  of  the  campaign,  he  bethought  that 
he  could  not  consistently  with  honor  take 
the  medal.  u Caesar,”  said  he,  “ up  to  the 
present  moment,  I have  served  under  your 
banners.  Suffer  me  now  to  devote  my- 
self to  another  sort  of  warfare,  for  I wish 
to  consecrate  myself  to  the  service  of 
God.  Those  who  are  to  be  engaged  in 
to-morrow’s  battle  can  receive  your  lar-  # 
gesses ; for  me,  a soldier  of  Christ,  I am  not 
allowed  to  enter  the  combat.”  “ It  is  not 
religion,”  replied  Julian,  u but  the  dread 
of  finding  yourself  in  the  presence  of  the 
enemy,  that  causes  you  to  renounce  the 
military  service.”  Martin,  far  from  being 
downcast  at  this  insult,  displayed  fresh 
intrepidity.  “ If,”  said  he,  “ you  attribute 
my  desire  to  cowardice  and  not  to  religion, 

I will,  on  to-morrow,  present  myself  un- 
armed at  the  head  of  the  troops ; and  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  pro- 
IS] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTEN". 

tected  not  by  buckler  or  helmet,  but  by 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  I will  penetrate  the 
battalions  of  the  enemy  without  fearing 
to  encounter  death.”  Julian  replied  by 
commanding  him  to  be  cast  into  prison. 
“On  to-morrow,”  said  he,  “let  him  be 
exposed  without  arms  to  the  attack  of  the 
barbarians.”  The  next  day  the  enemy 
sued  for  peace.  God  would  not  permit 
his  servant  to  run  such  a risk,  or  rather 
wished  to  spare  him  the  sanguinary  spec- 
tacle of  a battle.  Certainly  he  would 
not  have  allowed  him  to  perish,  for 
Martin’s  faith  was  an  unbounded  faith,  to 
which  God  refuses  nothing.  Furthermore, 
could  there  have  been  a greater  miracle 
of  the  divine  goodness  than  that  of  a 
victory  won  without  shedding  blood  ? 

Julian  was  so  moved  by  the  fact  that 
he  could  not  any  longer  withhold  Martin’s 
discharge  from  the  army. 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MA.ETIN. 

Our  Saint  now  retraced  his  steps  to 
Poitiers,  where  St.  Hilary  expected  him. 
This  holy  bishop,  who  knew  Martin 
thoroughly,  and  who  knew,  moreover,  how* 
valuable  he  would  prove  to  the  Church, 
wished  to  ordain  him  deacon ; but  Mar- 
tin pleaded  unworthiness,  and  resisted 
all  solicitations.  He  consented  only  to 
take  the  minor  order  of  exorcist. 

He  had  not  the  consolation  of  enjoying 
for  a lengthened  period  the  society  and 
learned  lectures  of  the  holy  Bishop  of 
Poitiers.  In  the  night-time,  he  was 
admonished  in  a dream  to  return  to  his 
parents,  who  were  still  pagans.  It  was 
quite  enough  for  Martin  to  have  learned 
God’s  will,  and  he  accordingly  set  about 
executing  it. 

Having  to  cross  the  Alps,  he  lost  him 
self  in  the  defiles  of  these  mountains,  and 
fell  into  the  hands  of  robbers.  One  of 
[10] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTE*. 

them  was  brandishing  a hatchet  over 
Martin’s  head,  when  another  of  them 
parried  the  stroke.  Having  bound  their 
prisoner,  with  his  hands  behind  his  back, 
they  now  carried  him  off  to  a secluded 
spot,  in  order  to  plunder  him  more  leisure- 
ly. Then  there  passed  between  Martin 
and  the  brigand  a scene  that  recalls  St. 
John  the  Evangelist  converting  a young 
man  who  had  become  leader  of  a gang  of 
robbers.  “ Who  art  thou  ?”  said  the 
brigand  to  the  servant  of  God.  “ I am  a 
Christian,”  replied  Martin.  “ Art  thou 
not  terrified  at  finding  thyself  in  such  a 
gripe  as  mine,  and  so  far  away  from  any 
help?”  “Never  did  I feel  myself  more 
perfectly  safe,”  answered  the  Saint,  “for 
the  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  signally  mani« 
fested  in  moments  of  danger.  You  inspire 
me  with  no  dread ; but  my  heart  bleeds 
for  you,  and  I deeply  regret  that  you 
mi 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

should  be  leading  sueh  a horrible  life — a 
life  that  renders  you  odious  to  men,  and, 
above  all,  unworthy  of  the  mercy  of  Jesus 
Christ.” 

Language  like  this  could  not  but  ex- 
cite the  curiosity  of  the  brigands,  and 
they  began  to  be  interested  about  their 
prisoner.  St.  Martin,  seeing  that  they 
were  anxious  to  hear  him,  began  to  ex- 
plain, with  all  the  unction  of  Christian 
charity,  the  divine  mysteries  of  the  Gos- 
pel. Influenced  by  the  divine  grace,  and 
illuminated  by  the  holy  light  of  the  faith, 
the  robber  confessed  Jesus  Christ.  He 
then  placed  the  Saint  on  the  right  road, 
after  having  cast  himself  humbly  at  his 
feet,  and  begged  his  intercession  with  God, 
that  he  might  obtain  pardon  of  his  crimes. 
Ever  afterwards  he  led  the  life  of  a good 
Christian,  and  often  related  how  he  had 
been  converted. 

[121 


t 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

St  Martin  achieved  great  triumphs 
over  idolatry ; but  he  found  heresy  to  be 
a far  more  envenomed  enemy.  Arianism 
had  spread  almost  over  the  entire 
world,  and  Illyria  in  particular  was  in- 
fected by  it,  as  some  of  its  bishops  had 
become  the  most  zealous  partisans  of  these 
impious  doctrines.  Those  who  maintained 
the  true  faith  were  so  persecuted  that  they 
dared  not  appear  or  defend  it  in  public. 
Although  St.  Martin  was  almost  the  only 
one  to  struggle  against  numberless  and 
powerful  enemies,  his  love  of  Jesus  Christ 
enabled  him  to  disregard  all  the  dangers 
he  had  to  encounter  in  defending  his  di- 
vinity, The  Arians,  stung  to  madness, 
caused  him  to  be  scourged  publicly  on 
many  occasions,  and  endeavored,  by  vari- 
ous modes  of  punishment,  to  shake  the 
constancy  of  his  faith.  Finding,  however, 
that  all  their  efforts  were  of  no  avail,  and 
[13] 


THE  LI  EE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

that  torments  only  served  to  make  him 
confess  the  divinity  of  the  Word  still  more 
boldly,  they  banished  him  from  their  city. 
It  was  thus  that  he  left  his  hative  land 
never  to  return  to  it. 

He  now  went  back  to  St.  Hilary,  whom 
he  aided  in  founding  the  monastery  of 
Liguge,  near  Poitiers.  This  house  was 
open  to  the  Catechumens  who  needed  in- 
struction, and  who  gladly  entered  a place 
so  freed  from  distraction,  and  so  well  ar- 
ranged in  every  respect  to  prepare  them 
for  the  reception  of  baptism.  St.  Martin 
watched  over  them  with  paternal  solici- 
tude ; but  his  zeal  was  not  confined  to 
this  community : he  frequently  quitted  it 
for  other  places,  wherever  the  exigencies 
of  the  Church  required  his  presence. 

It  happened,  on  one  occasion  of  his  ab- 
sence, that  a Catechumen  who  had  recent- 
ly entered  the  asylum  was  suddenly  car- 

[14] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN*. 

ried  off  by  a malignant  fever  befoie  lie 
had  received  the  sacrament  of  baptism. 
On  his  return,  Martin  was  grievously  af- 
flicted by  this  unforeseen  occurrence.  The 
body  was  not  buried,  and  the  religious 
were  assembled  around  it,  bewailing  their 
loss,  particularly  as  this  sudden  death  had 
•disappointed  all  their  pious  intentions. 

St.  Martin  was  deeply  affected  by  rea- 
son of  his  incertitude  concerning  the  sal- 
vation of  the  deceased.  He  ran  to  the 
place  where  the  lifeless  remains  of  the 
Catechumen  lay.  He  caused  all  the 
brethren  to  retire,  shut  himself  up  in  the 
cell,  prayed,  and  then,  like  another  Heli- 
seus,  stretched  himself  on  the  body  of  the 
dead  man,  as  it  were  to  reanimate  him  by 
the  ardor  of  his  faith.  After  having  re- 
mained  for  some  time  in  this  posture,  an 
extraordinary  communication  of  God’s  Spi 
rit  gave  him  to  understand  that  his  pray 
fi51 


.THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MABTIH. 

ers  had  been  heard.  The  dead  man  mov 
ed,  opened  his  eyes,  and  looked  at  him. 
He  was  then  baptized  immediately,  and 
lived  for  many  years. 

The  episcopal  throne  of  Tours  having 
become  vacant  by  the  death  of  St.  Li- 
doire,  St.  Martin  w~as  raised,  we  may  say 
in  spite  of  himself,  to  the  episcopate.  He 
nowise  changed  his  accustomed  mode  of 
life.  His  fastings  were  the  same,  his 
abstinence  as  exact  as  ever,  and  his  watch- 
ings just  as  long  as  usual.  When  obliged 
to  give  a few  hours’  repose  to  his  wearied 
body,  he  cast  himself  on  a mat  on  the 
ground,  or  on  some  sackcloth  strewn  over 
with  dried  herbs,  a stone  serving  him  for 
a pillow.  His  exterior  was  the  same  as 
ever,  but  he  knew  how  to  unite  a bishop’s 
dignity  to  the  humbleness  of  a solitary. 
If  there  was  any  change  remarkable  in 
him,  it  manifested  itself  solely  in  a more 
[16] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

ardent  zeal  to  labor  for  God’s  glory,  and 
to  bring  new  adorers  to  bis  throne. 

Indefatigable  in  preaching  the  Gospel, 
he  went  from  town  to  town,  from 
province  to  province,  to  announce  the 
savlbg  truths.  He  murmured  not  at 
cold,  thirst,  or  hunger,  or  nudity,  nay,  nor 
at  the  direst  wants  he  had  to  encounter. 
Though  his  enemies  railed  against  him,  he 
treated  them  all  with  charity  and  patience 
that  could  not  be  ruffled.  The  voice  of 
the  bishop  overturned  the  temples  of  the 
idols,  and  on  their  ruins  he  erected  altars 
consecrated  to  the  true  God.  Often  and 
often  did  the  Lord  reveal  to  his  servant, 
by  the  miracles  that  signalized  and  au- 
thenticated his  works,  how  well  pleased 
he  was  with  him. 

We  have  said  that,  after  being  raised  to 
the  episcopate,  Martin  never  forgot  the 
virtues  of  the  monastery.  In  order  to 
[171 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

practise  them  more  conveniently,  he 
dwelt  for  some  time  *in  a cell  near  his 
church.  But  the  veneration  and  affection 
entertained  for  him  did  not  allow  him  to 
be  long  unknown;  so  much  so  that  he 
was  not  able  to  enjoy  all  the  tranquillity 
he  had  hoped  to  find  in  this  retirement. 
Apprehending  that  the  visits  of  many 
might  interrupt  or  at  least  lessen  his 
communication  and  familiarity  with  God, 
he  sought,  in  the  suburbs  of  the  episcopal 
city,  where  he  was  obliged  to  reside,  some 
solitary  place  where  he  could  dwell  with 
his  brethren,  separated  from  the  noise  of 
the  world  and  the  commerce  of  men ; his 
grand  object  was  to  live  continually  under 
the  eyes  of  God. 

The  retreat  chosen  by  Martin  was 
situated  about  half  a league  from  the  city 
of  Tours,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Loire. 
It  was  a veritable  desert,  shut  in  by  high 
[18] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

broken  rocks  on  tlie  one  side,  and  by  a 
bend  of  the  river  on  the  other.  The  holy 
bishop  dwelt  in  a wooden  hut,  and  his 
brethren  either  constructed  similar  ones 
or  hollowed  little  cells  in  the  living  rock. 
Martin’s  disciples  numbered  eighty,  and 
they  all  made  it  the  work  of  their  life  to 
imitate  the  virtues  of  their  blessed  mas- 
ter. They  had  nothing  of  their  own  ; all 
their  property  was  in  common  ; and  none 
was  allowed  to  buy  or  sell.  The  only 
art  they  exercised  was  writing,  to  which 
the  young  applied  themselves,  while  the 
seniors  gave  themselves  wholly  to  prayer. 

The  disciples  of  St.  Martin  seldom 
left  their  cells,  except  to  assemble  in  their 
oratory.  They  observed  a rigorous  fast, 
after  which  they  all  took  their  repast 
together.  None  of  them  used  wine  ex- 
cept in  cases  of  sickness ; they  looked  on 
it  as  a crime  to  wear  any  garment  that 
ridj 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN". 

iva3  costly  or  fine.  In  the  world  there 
was  luxury  and  self-indulgence : here  all 
was  austerity  and  privation.  Some  of 
the  brethern  carried  their  penance  so  far 
as  to  clothe  themselves,  like  the  Messias’ 
Precursor,  in  camels’  skins.  And  yet  the 
majority  of  these  men  were  distinguished 
by  their  birth,  had  held  offices  of  high 
importance  amongst  their  fellow-citizens, 
nay,  had  enjoyed  all  the  advantages  which 
wealth  confers  in  this  world.  There  was 
a time  when  they  lacked  nothing ; sump- 
tuous apartments,  delicate  meats,  and  all 
the  luxuries  of  life  were  theirs  ; but  from 
Martin  they  learned  that  all  these  things 
are  vanities,  and  he  taught  them  to  bring 
their  bodies  into  subjection,  in  order  to 
secure  the  salvation  of  their  souls.  jr 

Every  day  of  St.  Martin’s  life  was  mark- 
ed by  some  new  prodigy.  A man  nam- 
ed Evence,  who  occupied  a very  di&- 
[20] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MASTIN'. 

tinguished  position  in  tlie  world,  and 
who  was  at  all  times  respected  for  his 
piety,  found  himself  taken  suddenly  and 
dangerously  ill.  Persuaded  that  all  hu- 
man remedies  could  do  him  no  good,  he 
prevailed  on  the  Saint  to  come  to  visit 
him.  The  latter  had  come  only  half  the 
way,  when  the  patient  felt  the  salutary 
effects  of  his  visit : his  health  was  sud- 
denly restored  to  him,  and  he  soon  after- 
wards was  able  to  go  and  thank  the 
Saint  in  person.  As  he  loved  Martin 
tenderly,  he  would  not  allow  him  to 
depart  till  he  had  spent  some  days  with 
him.  We  may  reasonably  conjecture 
that  the  Saint  was  not  idle  during  the 
few  days  he  thus  passed  in  the  world. 

If  he  was  obliged  to  interrupt  his 
exercises  to  take  part  in  conversation,  he 
spoke  only  of  the  things  of  heaven,  of  the 
second  coming  of  the  Son  of  God,  of  the 
1211 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

terrible  account  that  we  have  all  to  render 
on  the  Last  Day,  of  the  eternal  pains  with 
which  sinners  shall  be  tormented,  and  of 
that  immense  glory  that  the  saints  are  to 
enjoy  for  ever  and  ever.  Such  discourses 
as  these  clearly  proved  that  his  thoughts 
were  not  given  to  this  transitory  world. 

While  St.  Martin  was  staying  in  the 
house  of  Evence,  a servant  of  the  latter 
was  bitten  by  a serpent  of  a very  poison- 
ous species.  In  a few  instants,  the  un- 
happy  man  was  reduced  to  the  last  ex- 
tremity. Evence,  who  had  already  had 
proof  of  Martin’s  great  influence  with 
God,  took  the  servant  on  his  shoulders, 
and  carried  him  almost  dead  into  the 
presence  of  the  holy  bishop.  He  could 
not  withhold  the  boon  craved  by  the 
master  with  so  muclf  faith.  He  stretched 
out  his  hands,  and  had  scarcely  touched 
with  his  finger  the  spot  bitten  by  the 
[22] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

serpent,  when  the  venom,  diffused  through 
his  whole  body,  was  seen  to  collect  at  one 
point,  and  then  to  issue  like  so  much 
corrupted  blood.  The  man,  who  appeared 
a short  while  before  as  on  the  brink  of 
the  grave,  opened  his  eyes,  and  was  re- 
stored to  perfect  health. 

Not  only  did  he  confirm  by  his  ac- 
tions the  promises  made  by  Jesus  Christ 
to  those  who  would  believe  in  his  name, 
that  they  should  have  power  to  expel 
devils,  to  handle  serpents  without  being 
stung,  and  to  be  unharmed  by  the  most 
subtle  poisons,  but  he  even  commanded 
serpents,  and  was  obeyed  by  them.  One 
day,  while  resting  on  the  bank  of  a river 
with  his  disciples,  he  saw  a serpent  swim- 
ming towards  them.  He  commanded  the 
reptile  to  return  whAce  it  came.  It  did 
so  immediately ; and  the  disciples  could 
not  suppress  their  astonishment  at  the 
[23] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  H AIMIN', 

power  which  he  exercised  over  the  brute 
creation.  But  instead  of  answering  the 
questions  put  to  him  by  the  disciples,  he 
sighed,  and  at  the  same  time  remarked  on 
the  insensibility  of  men  : “ They  hear  me 
not,  although  the  very  serpents  obey  me  !” 

After  St.  Martin  had  passed  some  time 
in  the  monastery  which  he  founded  near 
Tours,  and  after  he  had  given  his  first 
cares  to  his  episcopal  church,  he  labored 
indefatigably  for  the  other  churches  of 
his  jurisdiction.  In  order  to  superintend 
all  personally,  he  visited  each  of  them 
successively,  being  thoroughly  persuaded 
that  his  presence  could  nowhere  be  use- 
less, or  rather,  being  convinced  that,  no 
matter  where  he  went,  the  spirit  by  which 
he  was  animated  could  not  fail  to  vivify 
some  souls. 

Nothing  could  have  been  more  edifying 
than  the  pastoral  visitations  of  the  holy 

[24] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MAETIN. 


bishop — he  made  them  ordinarily  on  foot. 
Whensoever  a long  journey  was  to  be 
made,  or  the  heat  obliged  him  to  spare 
his  body,  wasted  by  rigorous  fastings, 
he  would  have  no  other  beast  to  carry 
him  except  the  humble,  peaceful  brute  on 
which  our  Redeemer  entered  Jerusalem. 
He  was  almost  always  accompanied  by  a 
great  number  of  his  disciples,  who  generally 
preceded  him  by  a few  paces,  in  order 
that  their  conversation  might  not  inter- 
rupt his  continual  communing  with  God. 

On  one  occasion,  when  passing  through 
a very  narrow  causeway,  he  met  the  gov- 
ernor in  a chariot  drawn  by  many  horses 
and  filled  with  soldiers.  As  he  was  then 
riding  an  ass,  dressed  in  his  ordinary 
habit,  the  black  garment  in  which  he  was 
enveloped  frightened  the  horses,  thus 
causing  them  to  overturn  the  chariot  to 
which  they  were  harnessed.  The  soldiers, 
T251 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

irritated  at  the  delay  occasioned  by  this 
accident,  and  still  more  by  the  danger 
they  encountered,  fell  on  him,  and,  with- 
out knowing  who  he  was,  overwhelmed 
him  with  insults  and  blows.  The  greater 
his  patience,  the  more  violent  were  the 
outrages  committed  by  the  soldiers.  In 
fact,  they  left  him  for  dead. 

The  disciples  of  the  Saint,  who  were, 
as  usual,  in  advance  of  him,  bearing  the 
tumult,  turned  back.  Having  found  their 
master  covered  with  blood  and  dust,  they 
reseated  him  on  the  ass,  and  hastened  to 
the  nearest  village  to  procure  remedies 
for  him.  Meanwhile,  the  soldiers,  having 
remounted  the  chariot,  and  being  still 
irritated,  strove  to  urge  on  their  horses  by 
cries  and  whippings ; but  all  their  efforts 
were  useless : the  horses  remained  as  if 
fastened  to  the  solid  earth.  Not  being  able 
to  account  for  this  extraordinary  fact,  since 
[26] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

there  was  nothing  now  to  frighten  the 
horses,  they  began  to  ask  one  another 
whether  anything  shbrt  of  a supernatural 
agency  could  have  made  their  cattle  so 
stubborn.  They  then  inquired  from  the 
persons  passing  who  was  the  man  whom 
they  had  maltreated ; and  as  soon  as  they 
were  informed  that  it  was  the  Bishop  of 
Tours,  they  wTere  no  longer  doubtful  of 
the  invisible  Hand  that  had  retained  them. 
They  now  concluded  the  stoppage  of  the 
horses  was  a jnmishment  for  the  injury 
they  had  inflicted  on  the  holy  man.  Fill- 
ed with  sorrow,  they  ran  after  him,  cast 
themselves  at  his  feet,  and,  shedding 
tears,  implored  pardon  of  their  odious 
act.  St.  Martin  knew  that  the  cha- 
riot had  been  stopped.  Although  con- 
vinced that  the  chastisement  inflicted  on 
those  cruel  men  was  but  too  well  deserv 
ed,  his  clemeucy  was  not  proof  against 
[27] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MAKTIN. 


their  tears  and  supplications.  He  par- 
doned them,  prayed  for  them,  and  as  soon 
as  they  returned  to  the  spot  where  their 
equipage  was,  they  found  their  horses 
tractable,  and  finished  their  journey  pros- 
perously. 

In  former  times,  the  bishops  deemed  it 
a sacred  duty  to  go  and  implore  the 
clemency  of  princes  in  favor  of  some 
criminal,  and  the  very  councils  exhorted 
them  to  do  so.  It  was  probably  for  some 
such  reason  as  this  that  St.  Martin,  in  the 
first  year  of  his  episcopate,  repaired  to 
the  court  of  the  Emperor  Valentinian, 
who  then  resided  at  Treves,  in  the  north 
of  France.  This  prince,  hitherto  preju- 
diced against  St.  Martin,  was  soon  charm- 
ed by  his  piety  and  simplicity;  so  much 
so  that  he  invited  him  to  his  table,  con- 
sulted him  on  matters  of  importance,  and 
made  him  his  confidant.  He  would  have 
[281 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

conferred  honors  and  wealth  on  the  Saint, 
who  declined  them  all.  On  the  point  of 
leaving  the  imperial  court  for  Tours, 
Yalentinian  offered  him  the  most  costly 
presents  for  himself  and  his  monastery, 
but  he  refused  to  accept  them,  preferring 
humility  and  poverty  to  all  the  treasures 
of  the  empire.  “ Poverty  and  humility,’' 
said  he,  “ are  the  dearest  patrimony  of 
the  man  who  desires  to  imitate  Jesus 
Christ.” 

We  know  not  how  long  St.  Martin 
remained  in  Treves ; it  wrould  appear 
that  he  left  it  towards  the  decline  of  the 
year  372,  for  Yalentinian  returned  to 
Italy  about  the  commencement  of  the 
following  year.  It  is  probable  that  he 
was  on  his  way  to  Tours  when  he  passed 
through  Paris.  The  fame  of  his  virtues 
had  preceded  him  to  that  city,  for  at  that 
period  Paris  had  already  received  the 
m 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MAETIJNT. 

blessings  of  Christianity ; and  whereso- 
ever the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  was  known, 
there  was  the  name  of  Martin  respected 
and  venerated.  As  he  approached  the 
city,  the  people  went  out  in  a body  to 
testify  their  affection  for  him.  The  holy 
prelate  was  sorely  troubled  at  finding 
that  he  had  become  such  a marked  object 
of  popular  devotion  ; but  God  was  pleased 
to  subject  his  humility  to  this  new  trial, 
although  he  had  already  had  many,  over 
all  of  which  he  triumphed.  God,  how- 
ever, not  only  provided  these  high  honors 
for  his  servant,  but  enabled  him  to  work 
such  splendid  miracles  as  entitled  him  to 
the  admiration  and  gratitude  of  the  in- 
habitants of  Paris.  At  one  of  the  gates 
of  the  city,  he  met  an  unfortunate  man 
covered  with  a loathsome  leprosy.  Every 
one  shunned  all  contact  with  persons 
laboring  under  this  horrible  malady ; 

T301 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

but  Martiii’s  soul  was  too  full  of 
holy  charity  to  leave  any  room  for 
this  natural  repugnance.  He  approached 
the  leprous  man,  took  him  by  the  hand, 
and  gave  him  the  kiss  of  peace  along 
with  his  benediction.  The  leprosy  dis- 
appeared instantaneously,  and  on  the 
next  day  that  poor  man  prostrated  him- 
self before  the  altar,  and  gave  thanks  to 
God  for  the  cure  wrought  so  miracu- 
lously. To  preserve  an  eternal  remem- 
brance of  this  fact,  a chapel  was  built 
under  the  invocation  of  the  Saint  on  the 
very  spot. 

Valentinian  had  now  returned  to 
Treves,  from  which  place  he  was  soon  to 
march  with  his  army  against  the  barba- 
rians. It  is  probable  that  Martin  chose 
this  time  to  make  a second  journey  to 
that  city.  There  he  wrought  very  many 

miracles.  On  his  return,  he  passed 
[31] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

through  Burgundy,  a part  of  which  he 
converted  to  Christianity.  We  have  not 
space  to  follow  St.  Martin  through  the 
various  scenes  of  his  apostolic  labors; 
suffice  it  to  say  that  no  moment  of  his 
life  passed  by  that  was  not  signalized  by 
some  holy  and  memorable  action. 

Although  he  had  now  arrived  at  a 
great  old  age,  his  zeal  never  flagged  for 
an  instant.  On  the  contrary,  he  con- 
tinued to  visit  his  diocese,  to  found 
churches,  and  to  spread  the  Gospel  every- 
where. Nor  was  he  less  admirable  while 
practising  the  monastic  virtues  in  the 
midst  of  his  brethren — virtues  of  which 
they  were  the  sole  witnesses.  Let  us 
hear  Sulpicius  Severus,  his  pious  bio- 
grapher, speaking  of  him : u No  tongue 
will  ever  be  able  to  describe  what 
was  his  interior  life  and  his  daily 
conduct.  Who  could  describe  the 
[321 


THE  Mrs  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

continual  elevation  of  his  - soul  to 
God,  the  austerity  of  his  abstinences  and 
fastings;  how  he  watched  and  prayed, 
consecrating  days  and  nights  to  prayer  ? 
Never  did  he  spend  a moment  without 
laboring,  as  far  as  was  humanly  possible, 
for  God’s  glory.  This  was  his  constant 
work,  even  while  he  rested  himself,  ate, 
or,  I may  say,  slept.  At  every  moment, 
at  every  hour,  he  either  prayed  or  read  ; 
and  even  while  reading  he  did  not  cease 
to  pray.  Blessed,  in  truth,  was  Martin  ! 
In  him  there  was  no  guile;  he  judged  no 
one,  nor  did  lie  render  to  any  one  evil  for 
evil ! Such  was  his  patience  in  suffering 
injuries  that  even  the  simplest  cleric 
might  insult  him  with  impunity.  No 
matter  how  grave  the  offence,  he  never 
punished,  and  never  withdrew  his  affec- 
tion. No  one  ever  saw  him  irritated,  ex- 
cited, or  downcast:  no  one  ever  saw  him 
’[*»] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MAETIN. 

laugh.  Superior  to  human  nature,  he 
was  always  one,  always  the  same,  ancl 
his  features  were  always  radiant  with 
a heavenly  joy.  The  holy  name  of 
Christ  wras  always  on  his  lips,  and  peace, 
love,  and  mercy  were  enthroned  in  his 
heart.” 

Having  .heard  that  serious  divisions 
had  sprung  up  amongst  his. clergy  in  one 
of  his  parishes,  he  hastened  thither  to 
re-establish  peace.  He  was  at  this  timev 
in.  his  eighty-first  year,  but  neither  age,^ 
nor  the  length  of  the  journey,  nor  the  ad- 
vanced season  could  keep  him  from  set- 
ting out.  He  thought,  doubtless,  that 
the  fittest  way  to  crown  all  the  glorious 
labor  of  his  long  life  was  to  restore  peace 
to  the  Church. 

Accompanied,  as  usual,  by  a large  num- 
ber of  his  disciples,  he  at  length  reached 
the  parish  of  Candes,  where  his  holy  ex- 

[34] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

ample  and  efficacious  words  soon  reunited 
the  dissentient  clergy.  He  was  now  about 
to  return  to  his  monastery,  when  he  sud- 
denly felt  his  strength  failing  him.  He 
therefore  assembled  his  disciples,  and  an- 
nounced to  them  that  his  last  hour  was 
fast  approaching.  They  all  wept,  and 
said  to  the  dying  Saint:  “ Father,  why 
wouldst  thou  abandon  us  ? To  whom  will 
.you  leave  your  desolate  children  ? Ha- 
ven ing  wolves  will  come  down  on  the 
flock,  and  who  will  be  able  to  defend  it 
when  it  has  lost  its  pastor?  We  know 
that  you  long  to  be  reunited  to  Jesus 
Christ,  but  your  recompense  is  secured ; 
and  even  though  it  be  deferred  for  a little 
while,  it  shall  not  be  lessened.  Have 
pity,  then,  on  us,  whom  you  are  about  to 
abandon  !”  On  hearing  these  words,  St. 
Martin’s  heart  was  deeply  afflicted,  and 

he  shed  tears ; then,  raising  his  eyes  to  hea- 
[35] 


— ■ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MARTIN. 

ven,  lie  thus  addressed  himself  to  God 
“Lord,  if  I am  still  necessary  for-youi 
people,  I do  not  refuse  to  labor : Thy  will 
be  done !”  Between  love  and  hope,  he 
was  almost  in  suspense.  He  did  not  wish 
to  abandon  his  disciples,  nor  yet  could  he 
bear  to  be  any  longer  separated  from  Jesus 
Christ.  But  far  from  consulting  either 
nis  own  will  or  his  own  desires,  he  placed 
himself  wholly  at  the  disposal  of  God.# 
With  eyes  and  hands  continually  raised 
to  heaven,  he  prayed  incessantly. 

His  exit  from  this  world  to  the  next  took 
place  in  November,  a.d.  396,  in  the  se- 
cond year  of  the  Emperors  Honorius  and 
Arcadius.  The  Saint  lived  to  be  eighty- 
one  years  of  age,  twenty-four  of  which 
were  spent  in  the  episcopate. 


L3»| 

j 


t 


THE  LIFE 


OF 


ST.  ELLEN,  OR  HELENA,  EMPRESS 


ELENA,  so  celebrated  in  the  Church 


for  her  faith  and  the  virtues  of  her 
«on  Constantine,  was  born,  as  is  generally 
believed,  at  Drepane,  in  Bithynia,  of  an 
obscure  family,  for  it  is  thought  that  her 
father  was  proprietor  of  an  inn.  The 
Emperor  Constauce,  while  only  a simple 
officer,  married  her.  Helena  lived  wTith 
him  till  the  year  292.  This  prince  di- 
vorced her,  in  order  to  marry  the  god- 
daughter of  Maximien  Hercules.  Con- 
stance having  died  in  306,  Constantine, 
his  son  by  Helena,  was  proclaimed  emper- 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 


or.  As  soon  as  this  young  prince  had 
ascended  the  imperial  throne,  he  hastened 
to  call  his  mother  to  the  court.  He  then 
bestowed  on  her  the  title  of  “ August.” 
He  likewise  bestowed  on  her  estates 
throughout  the  whole  extent  of  the  em- 
pire, allowing  her  to  dispose  as  she  pleased 
of  the  imperial  treasury. 

Helena,  like  Constantine,  was  still  igno- 
rant of  the  true  faith,  till  God,  after  hay- 
ing given  the  clearest  proof  of  his  miracu- 
lous preservation  of  the  Church,  deigned 
to  call  the  emperors  themselves,  and  to 
make  Constantine  the  Great  the  declared 
protector  of  the  Christian  religion.  Max- 
en  tius,  son  of  Maxi  mien  Hercules,  declared 
war  against  Constantine,  and  determined 
to  give  him  battle  at  a place  two  miles 
distant  from  Rome.  Constantine’s  army 
was  inferior  in  numbers;  but  the  former 
felt  himself  inspired  to  invoke  the  true 
[2] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA 

God,  whom  lie  besought  with  the  most 
earnest  prayers  to  make  himself  known  to 
him.  This  prince  had  an  upright  heart, 
and  God  heard  him.  About  raid-day, 
when  marching  at  the  head  of  his  troops, 
he  beheld  in  the  heavens  a luminous  cross, 
in  the  centre  of  which  were  traced,  in 
characters  of  fire,  these  words : “ By  this 
sign  thou  shalt  be  victorious.”  The  en- 
tire  array  witnessed  this  miracle ; but  no 
one  was  so  sensibly  struck  by  it  as  the 
emperor,  who  passed  the  whole  day  en- 
deavoring to  discover  what  this  wonder- 
ful apparition  signified.  During  his  sleep 
on  the  following  night,  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self  appeared  to  him  with  the  same  sign, 
and  ordered  him  to  make  a standard  aftei 
that  model,  which  he  was  to  carry  in  all 
his  combats  as  a safeguard  against  his 
enemies.  Constantine  obeyed,  and  caused 
to  be  made  the  celebrated  banner  known 
[31 


j 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

under  the  name  of  the  Labarum . Max« 
entius  was  defeated,  and  the  bridge  of 
boats  he  had  thrown  across  the  Tiber 
breaking  down  in  the  retreat,  he  was 
drowned  in  that  river. 

Constantine,  after  the  overthrow  of  his 
enemy,  gave  thanks  to  Jesus  Christ,  and 
proclaimed  him  throughout  the  whole 
empire. 

It  was  to  her  son  that  Helena  was  in- 
debted for  the  knowledge  of  the  true 
religion.  She  was  about  sixty-four  years 
of  age  when  she  received  the  light  of  the 
Gospel;  but  her  conversion  was  so  per- 
fect1 that  all  her  virtues  were  the  most 
heroic  from  that  happiest  moment  of  her 
existence.  Mistress  of  the  treasures  of  the 
empire,  loved  and  respected  by  a son  who, 
when  near  her,  seemed  to  forget  that  he 
was  master  of  the  world,  Constantine  used 
every  means  in  his  power  to  anticipate 
M 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

her  wishes.  The  dearest  desire  of  Helena 
was  to  cause  Christianity  to  flourish 
through  the  whole  world.  Although 
advanced  in  age,  God  prolonged  her 
years  in  order  that  her  examples  might 
edify  the  Church,  for  the  exaltation  of 
which  her  son  exerted  all  his  energies. 
Her  zeal  and  faith  were  incomparable, 
and  St.  Gregory  tells  us  that  she  kindled 
in  the  hearts  of  the  Homans  the  same  fire 
that  consumed  her  soul.  She  assisted  at 
the  divine  offices  with  exemplary  assidu- 
ity ; she  decorated  the  churches  with  rich 
furniture  and  precious  vessels;  and  she 
extended  her  munificence  even  to  the 
chapels  of  the  poorest  suburbs. 

After  the  Council  of  Nicaea,  which  was 
held  in  the  year  325,  Constantine  ex- 
pended large  sums  in  erecting  temples  to 
the  time  God,  and  particularly  in  the 
Holy  Land.  Helena  charged  herself  with 
[51 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 


the  execution  of  this  pious  design,  and 
set  out  for  Palestine,  although  she  was 
then  eighty  years  of  age. 

On  her  arrival  at  Jerusalem,  she  was 
animated  by  a longing  desire  to  discover 
the  cross  on  which  Jesus  Christ  had  suf- 
fered death.  The  search  was  attended 
with  difficulties ; for  the  pagans,  in  order 
to  destroy  the  memory  of  the  Redeemer,  ' 
had  cast  a great  mound  of  earth  on  the 
site  of  the  sepulchre,  and,  after  construct- 
ing a platform,  erected  on  it  a temple  to 
Venus,  thus  thinking  to  keep  the  Chris- 
tians from  visiting  the  locality.  But  no- 
thing could  withhold  the  pious  princess 
from  prosecuting  the  search.  She  con- 
sulted the  oldest  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem, 
who  told  her  that,  if  she  should  discover 
the  Lord’s  sepulchre,  she  must  also  dis- 
cover the  instruments  of  his  death.  In 
fact,  it  was  a custom  amongst  the  Jews  to 
[6] 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

bury  along  with  the  body  everything  that 
had  been  used  in  putting  criminals  to 
death.  The  empress  immediately  caused 
he  profane  temple  to  be  levelled.  The 
earth  was  removed,  and  the  ground  was 
purified.  At  length  the  grotto  of  the 
holy  sepulchre  was  discovered,  and  near 
the  tomb  were  three  crosses,  together 
with  the  inscription  that  had  been 
affixed  to  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
also  the  nails  that  had  pierced  his  holy 
body. 

It  now  became  necessary  to  distinguish 
the  cross  on  which  the  Eedeemer  had  died. 
A lively  faith  can  obtain  all  things,  and 
Helena,  by  the  advice  of  Maccarius,  Bishop 
of  Jerusalem,  caused  the  three  crosses  to 
be  brought  to  a woman  who,  for  a con- 
siderable time,  had  been  afflicted  with  an 
incurable  malady.  Each  of  the  three 
crosses  was  now  applied  to  her,  while 
[7] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

prayers  were  offered  to  Christ  beseeching 
him  to  manifest  which  of  them  had  been 
moistened  with  his  blood.  The  empress 
was  present,  and  the  whole  city  waited 
anxiously  for  the  result.  The  two  first 
effected  nothing ; but  when  the  third  was 
applied,  the  sick  woman  was  cured  instant- 
ly, and  then  rose  from  her  bed.  The  his- 
torian Sozomen  assures  us  that  it  was 
applied  to  the  body  of  a dead  man,  and 
that  this  man  was  restored  to  life.  St. 
Paulinus  relates  the  same.  The  pious 
princess  was  transported  with  joy  when 
she  found  herself  in  possession  of  a trea- 
sure which  she  preferred  to  all  the  riches 
of  the  world.  She  took  a portion  of  the 
true  cross  to  bring  it  to  her  son,  and,  hav- 
ing enshrined  the  other  portion  in  a silvei 
case,  she  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  the 
Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  in  order  that  it 
might  be  venerated  in  the  church  which 
f8] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

Constantine  ordered  to  be  built  over  the 
holy  sepulchre. 

This  edifice  was  constructed  with  a 
magnificence  suitable  to  the  sanctity  of 
the  place.  It  enclosed  within  its  pre- 
cincts the  holy  sepulchre,  and  extended 
as  far  as  Mount  Calvary.  St.  Helena  also 
caused  two  other  churches  to  be  built,  one 
on  the  spot  from  which  the  Redeemer 
ascended  into  heaven,  and  another  at 
Bethlehem,  where  he  was  born. 

Her  piety  did  not  confine  itself  to  the 
mere  magnificence  of  the  edifices;  she  ex- 
tended her  pious  acts  over  every  place 
through  which  she  passed,  comforting 
the  poor  with  abundant  alms,  every- 
where proving  herself  a mother  to  the 
orphans  and  afflicted. 

Before  returning  from  Palestine,  Helena 
desired  to  attest  to  the  virgins  consecrat- 
ed  to  the  Lord  the  esteem  in  which  she 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

held  them.  She  therefore  assembled  them 
all  together,  and  provided  for  them  a 
banquet,  at  which  she  ministered  with 
her  own  hands. 

Arriving  at  Rome,  she  found  that  her 
last  hour  was  fast  approaching.  When 
she  saw  that  she  was  to  quit  this  world 
soon,  she  instructed  her  son  how  he 
should  govern  the  empire  in  accordance 
with  the  divine  law.  She  then  addressed 
to  him  and  to  his  little  children  a most 
tender  farewell ; and  at  length,  crowned 
with  merits  before  God  and  men,  she 
died,  aged  eighty  years,  in  the  arms  of 
Constantine,  who,  particularly  in  his 
mother’s  last  moments,  proved  himself 
faithful  to  all  the  filial  duties  of  love  for 
which  he  was  always  distinguished. 

The  obsequies  of  the  empress  were 
celebrated  with  the  most  sumptuous 
pomp ; a mausoleum  of  bricks  wras  con- 
[10] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

structed  to  receive  her  body.  It  was 
built  in  the  shape  of  a round  tower,  and 
in  its  interior  was  placed  her  tomb,  which 
was  an  urn  of  porphyry.  Constantine 
erected  in  the  centre  of  the  grand  square 
of  Constantinople  a cross,  together  with  a 
statue  representing  his  blessed  mother. 

The  mortal  remains  of  St.  Helena  now 
repose  under  the  grand  altar  of  the 
Church  of  St.  Mary  Major  (the  greater) 
at  Rome. 

Let  us  now  give  some  details  concern- 
ing the  holy  relics,  which  cannot  fail  to 
have  great  interest  for  the  piety  of  the 
faithful. 

St.  Helena,  after  erecting  a church  on 
the  very  spot  where  she  had  discovered 
the  cross  of  our  Lord,  deposited  there, 
with  the  greatest  veneration,  this  precious 
treasure,  after  having  enshrined  it  in  a 
very  rich  case.  She  gave  a portion  of  it 
[HI 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELEWA. 

to  her  son  the  emperor,  who  received  it 
at  Constantinople  with  the  greatest  re- 
spect ; another  portion  of  it  was  sent  by 
her  to  the  church  which  she  built  at 
Rome,  and  which  is  now  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Holy  Cross  of  Jerusalem, 
To  the  same  church  she  presented  the  in- 
scription of  the  Redeemer’s  cross.  It 
was  placed  within  a high  arch,  where  it 
was  found,  in  1492,  enclosed  in  a leaden 
box.  The  inscription,  which  is  in 
Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin,  is  traced  in  red 
letters  on  white  wood.  These  colors  have 
faded  very  much  since  1492,  and  the 
words  Jesus  and  Judseorum  are  almost 
effaced. 

There  is  also  preserved  at  Rome  the 
sponge  which  was  applied  to  the  lips  of 
our  Lord  at  his  crucifixion.  There  (at 
Rome)  is  likewise  preserved  the  lance 
with  which  our  adorable  Lord’s  side  was 
[123 


T 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA.. 

opened,  but  this  lance  has  now  no  point. 
It  was  buried  with  the  cross. 

St.  Gregory  of  Tours  informs  us  that 
jt  was  kept  in  Jerusalem  in  his  time. 
The  Christians,  fearing  that  the  Turks 
would  carry  it  away,  buried  it  secretly  at 
Antioch.  It  was  found  in  that  city  in 
1098.  Thence  it  was  brought  to  Jerusa- 
lem, and,  in  a short  time  afterwards,  to 
Constantinople.  The  Emperor  Baudouin 
sent  the  point  of  it  to  the  Republic  of 
Venice,  as  security  for  a sum  of  money 
which  was  lent  to  him  by  that  city.  St. 
Louis,  King  of  France,  redeemed  this 
relic  by  paying  to  the  Venetians  the  sum 
for  which  it  had  been  pledged,  and  caused 
it  to  be  removed  to  Paris.  The  other 
portion  of  the  holy  lance  was  kept  in 
Constantinople  even  after  the  Turks  had 
taken  possession  of  that  city.  In  1492 

Sultan  Bajazet  sent  it  by  an  ambassador 
[13] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 


to  Pope  Innocent  VIII.  The  sultan,  at 
the  same  time,  informed  the-  pope  that 
the  point  of  the  lance  was  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  King  of  France.  This  precious 
relic  was  lost  during  the  Revolution.  As 
to  the  crown  of  thorns  which  was  placed 
on  the  head  of  our  Lord,  Baudouin  the 
Second  sent  it  to  St.  Louis,  when  he  saw 
that  Constantinople  was  in  danger  of 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Saracens 
and  Greeks.  Baudouin  was  nearly 
related  to  St.  Louis,  to  whom  he  wished 
to  prove  his  gratitude  for  all  lie  had 
done  for  the  defence  of  tlie  Empire 
of  the  East  and  of  Palestine.  St.  Louis 
was  truly  grateful  for  this  grand  present, 
and  he  signified  his  acknowledgments 
by  paying  a loan  which  the  empire  had 
contracted  with  the  Venetian  Republic, 
This  precious  treasure,  enclosed  in  a 
sealed  shrine,  was  piously  removed  from 
[14] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELEHA. 

Venice  to  France  by  religious  of  well- 
known  sanptity.  St.  Louis  went  out  to 
meet  the  holy  relic,  and  joined  the  pro- 
cession five  miles  beyond  the  city  of  Sens. 
He  was  accompanied  by  the  queen,  his 
mother,  his  brothers,  and  a vast  concourse 
of  princes  and  prelates.  He  and  Robert 
of  Artois,  his  second  brother,  conveyed 
the  holy  crown  to  the  cathedral  of  Sens. 
The  kino;  walked  barefoot  in  this  multi- 
tudinous  procession.  His  solemn  bear- 
ing, and  the  tears  that  flowed  copiously 
from  his  eyes,  announced  the  tender  sen- 
timents of  religion  which  had  penetrated 
his  heart.  From  Sens  the  holy  crown 
Was  solemnly  translated  to  Paris.  The 
pious  king  wished  it  to  be  deposited  in  a 
chapel  which  he  had  caused  to  be  built, 
and  which  is  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Holy  Chapel  (La  Sainte  Chapelle).  This 
monument  ofr  the  piety  of  St.  Louis 

[15] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

exists  to  the  present  day.  The  crown  of 
thorns  and  the  other  relics  of  the  Passion 
were,  by  order  of  Louis  XVI.,  removed 
to  the  Abbey  of  St.  Denis  March  12, 
1791,  when  the  chapter  of  the  Holy 
Chapel  was  suppressed,  and  the  church 
itself  closed.  Subsequently  the  rich  re- 
liquaries that  enclosed  these  precious  ob- 
jects were  sacrilegiously  carried  off,  and 
the  crown  of  thorns  was  broken  into 
three  pieces.  In  1793,  they  were  once 
more  sent  back  to  Paris  by  the  munici- 
pality of  St.  Denis,  who  wished  to  con- 
ciliate the  Convention.  The  crown  of 
thorns  was  successively  transmitted  to 
the  Temporary  Commission  of  Arts,  then 
to  the  celebrated  Father  Barthelemy,  one 
of  the  conservators  of  the  king’s  library, 
where  it  remained  till  the  26th  of  October, 
1804,  when  it  was  given  to  Cardinal 
de  Belloy,  then  Archbishop  of  Paris. 

[16] 


- 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

This  prelate,  after  fully  satisfying  liimself 
of  its  authenticity,  caused  it  to  be  enclos- 
ed in  a crystal  cylinder  encased  within 
a beautiful  reliquary  of  gilt  bronze.  It 
was  then  removed  to  the  Church  of  Notre 
Dame,  and  since  that  period  to  1830  it 
was  exposed  to  the  veneration  of  the 
faithful  on  Good  Friday.  Happily  res- 
cued from  the  pillage  of  the  metropolitan 
church  July  29,  1830,  the  holy  crown  is 
now  carefully  concealed,  to  protect  ic 
from  all  further  profanation. 

St.  Louis  received  from  Constantinople 
a considerable  portion  of  the  true  cross 
sent  by  Helen  to  her  son  Constantine. 
This  was  deposited  in  the  Sainte  Chapelle. 
To-day  there  is  scarcely  any  place  in  the 
world  that  does  not  possess  a relic  of  the 
true  cross.  Nor  should  we  be  astonished 
at  this,  since  we  are  informed  by  St.  Cyril 
of  Jerusalem,  twenty-five  years  after  its 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

invention,  that  this  precious  wood,  cut 
up  into  most  minute  particles,  was  to  be 
found  everywhere  throughout  the  world. 
The  Saint  compares  this  prodigy  to  that 
which  Jesus  performed  when  he  miracu- 
lously fed  the  five  thousand  in  the  desert. 

Ever  since  the  fifth  or  sixth  century, 
the  church  has  celebrated  the  feast  of  the 
invention , or  discovery,  of  the  cross  on  the 
3d  of  May.  On  that  day,  it  chants  the 
beautiful  wTords  taken  from  the  First 
Epistle  to  the  Corinthians : “ Christ  sent 
me  to  preach  the  Gospel : not  in  wisdom 
of  speech,  lest  the  cross  of  Christ  should 
be  made  void ; for  the  word  of  the  cross 
to  them  that  perish  is  foolishness,  but  to 
them  that  are  saved,  that  is,  to  us,  it  is  the 
power  of  God.  For  it  is  written,  I will 
destroy  the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  and 
the  prudence  of  the  prudent  I will 
reiect.  Where  is  the  wise  ? Where 
US] 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

is  the  scribe  ? Where  is  the  disputer  of 
this  world  ? Hath  not  God  made  foolish 
the  wisdom  of  this  world?  For,  seeing 
that  in  the  wisdom  of  God  the  world  by 
wisdom  knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God  by 
the  foolishness  of  our  preaching  to  save 
them  that  believe.  For  both  the  Jews 
require  signs,  and  the  Greeks  seek  after 
wisdom ; but  we  preach  Christ  crucified, 
unto  the  Jews  indeed  a stumbling-block, 
and  unto  the  Gentiles  foolishness;  but 
^unto  them  that  are  called,  both  Jews  and 
Greeks,  Christ  the  power  of  God  and  the 
wisdom  of  God;  for  the  foolishness  of 
God  is  wiser  than  men,  and  the  weakness 
of  God  is  stronger  than  men.” 

Let  us  therefore  honor  the  cross;  for 
thus  we  will  renew  the  remembrance  of 
the  death  of  Christ,  and  thus  will  we  ex- 
cite ourselves  to  hope  in  his  merits,  till 
at  length  the  sacred  fire  of  divine  love  is 
[19] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

kindled  in  our  souls.  u If  the  Jews,”  re- 
marks St.  Jerome,  “ had  so  much  venera- 
tion for  the  ark,  with  what  sentiments  of 
respect  should  not  the  Christian  be  in- 
flamed for  the  wood  of  the  cross — for 
that  blood-stained  altar  on  which  the  Son 
of  Man  expiated  our  iniquities  ? ” 

We  deem  it  advisable  to  conclude  this 
notice  of  the  relics  of  otir  Lord’s  Passion 
with  a few  extracts  from  a letter  written 
in  1830  by  Drach,  a converted  Rabbin, 
recently  a professor  in  the  College  of 
Propaganda,  Rome,  on  the  subject  of  the 
inscription  on  the  true  cross. 

“ The  object  of  this  letter  is  to  inform 
you,  that  by  God’s  grace  I have  been 
able  to  discover  the  true  Hebrew  inscrip 
tion  of  the  title  of  the  holy  cross,  which 
I have  examined  by  order  of  the  learned 
cardinal  who  represents  his  Holiness  in 
the  spiritual  government  of  the  city  of 
[20] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

Rome.  It  has  been  my  happiness  to 
adore  this  precious  relic,  on  which  I 
thought  there  was  still  shining  the  splen- 
dor shed  on  it  during  the  three  hours, 
by  the  head  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the 
sons  of  Eve,  our  Sun  of  Justice.  The 
Hebrew  inscription  which  occupies  thei 
first  line  of  the  three  languages  has 
suffered  more  from  time  than  the  Greek 
and  Latin.  Of  the  letters  which  compose 
it,  we  have  now  only  formless  traces;  but 
the  traces  are  sufficiently  discernible  to 
guide  us  to  the  finding  of  entire  words, 
and  to  the  characters  employed  by  the 
writer  of  the  inscription.  . . . The 

time  is  not  far  off  when  these  faint 
characters  shall  have  entirely  disappear- 
ed from  the  sacred  tablet.  On  my  first 
visit  to  the  Chapel  of  the  Holy  Cross  of 
Jerusalem,  I declared  to  Cardinal  Cappel- 
lari  (Gregory  XYI.)  that  I recognized 
[21] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 


the  vulgar  characters  used  by  our  nation 
towards  the  end  of  the  second  temple — 
characters  which  are  still  to  be  seen  on 
the  medals  of  the  Machabees  ; in  a word, 
numismatic  lettering.  On  the  instant  I 
concluded  that  the  Hebrew  title  was  in 
Syriac — the  corrupted  Syriac  such  as  was 
spoken  while  the  Son  of  God  conversed 
with  men,  and  such  as  was  written  bv 
the  Rabbins  of  the  first  ages  after  the  de- 
finitive dispersion  of  the  people  of  Israel. 
I therefore  do  not  hesitate  to  assert  that 
the  traces  existing  on  the  tablet  of  the  title 
expressed  in  sacred  characters,  or  square 
letters,  belong  the  following  words : 

YESCHUANO.  NOTZEI.  MELE.  YEHUDAYA, 
JESUS  NAZARENUS  EEX  JUDHEORUM, 

PRAYER. 

Great  Saint,  whom  God  inspired  to  go 
in  search  of  the  cross  of  his  Son,  pray  for 
[22] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  HELENA. 

us  that  we  may  be  brought  to  love 
humiliations  and  penance.  Beseech  Jesus 
Christ  that  we  may  walk  in  the  narrow 
way  that  leads  to  eternal  life.  Amen. 


St.  George. 


St.  A ndrew. 


St.  Henry. 


THE  LIFE  OF  SAINT  ANDREW. 


ANDREW  was  born  in  Bethsaida, 


a small  town  of  Galilee.  His  father 
was  Jonas, or  John,  by  trade  a fisherman; 
consequently  he  was  St.  Peter’s  brother. 
He  had  a house  in  Capharnaum,  and  the 
Saviour  dwelt  with  him  whilst  he  was 
preaching  in  that  town. 

St.  John  Baptist  having  begun  to 
preach  in  the  desert,  Andrew  hastened 
with  a burning  zeal  to  hear  his  instructions, 
and  desired  to  become  his  disciple,  with 
out  engaging,  however,  to  remain  with 
him  always.  One  day,  hearing  some  one 
say  to  the  holy  Precursor  that  Jesus 
Christ,  who  was  then  coming  out  of  the 


THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  ANDREW. 


desert,  where  he  had  been  fasting  and 
praying  for  forty  days,  was  the  Lamb  of 
God,  and  his  faith  being  enlightened  as  to 
the  meaning  of  these  mysterious  words, 
he  followed  the  divine  Saviour,  with 
another  disciple  of  St.  John,  who  is  not 
mentioned  in  the  Gospel.  They  hastened 
with  holy  ardor  to  where  Jesus  was,  and 
there  they  stayed  with  him  that  day  and 
night.  Oh  ! who  can  tell  what  effect  was 
produced  in  Andrew’s  heart  by  the 
instructions  of  Jesus  ? He  acknowledged 
him  to  be  the  Messiah,  the  Redeemer  of 
the  world,  and  attached  himself  to  him 
for  evermore.  He  was  his  first  disciple. 

Andrew,  on  his  return,  met  Peter,  and 
revealed  to  him  the  joy  with  which  his 
heart  was  overflowing.  “We  have  found,’ 
he  exclaimed,  “ the  Messiah,  the  Christ 
promised  by  the  prophets.”  Peter,  there- 
in, would  see  the  Christ  and  speak  to 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  AFTDKEW. 

him,  and  Andrew  led  him  to  the  place 
where  he  had  found  him.  Nevertheless, 
the  two  brothers  did  not  attach  them- 
selves as  yet  wholly  to  the  Saviour ; 
they  contented  themselves  with  going  to 
him  frequently,  and  then  returned  to  theii 
calling  of  fishermen.  Thus  frequently  in 
his  society,  they  had  ample  opportunities 
of  witnessing  his  wisdom,  and  profiting 
by  his  lessons.  They  were  with  him  at 
the  marriage  in  Cana,  and  there  saw  him 
change  the  water  into  wine.  They  ac- 
companied him  on  the  journey  that  he 
made  to  Jerusalem  to  celebrate  the  Pasch.' 
About  the  close  of  the  same  year,  our 
Lord,  returning  from  lower  Galilee,  met 
the  two  brothers  engaged  fishing.  He 
called  them  to  him,  saying  he  would 
make  them  u fishers  of  men”  Thereon, 
urged  by  their  faith,  they  abandoned 
their  nets  to  devote  themselves  to  Jesus, 
[3] 


t 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANDKEW. 

u Thus,”  remarks  St.  Chrysostom,  a the 
divine  Saviour  gave  them,  in  their  own 
persons,  a proof  of  what  he  had  promised 
them ; for  it  was  in  their  regard  that  he, 
for  the  first  time,  performed  the  function 
of  a fisher  of  men , inducing  them  to  leave 
the  world  by  his  word  and  heavenly 
doctrine.” 

In  the  following  year,  our  Lord  formed 
the  college  of  the  Apostles,  and  the 
Evangelists  placed  Peter  and  Andrew 
over  the  others.  A little  while  afterwards 
the  Saviour  visited  their  house  in  Caphar- 
naum,  where  they  besought  him  to  cure 
the  mother-in-law  of  Peter,  and  the  Lord 
complied  with  their  request.  Some 
months  afterwards,  Jesus  Christ,  being 
moved  to  compassion  by  the  sight  of  five 
thousand  people  who  had  followed  him 
into  the  desert,  and  who  were  famishing 
with  hunger,  asked  how  they  were  to  be 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANDREW. 

fed.  Andrew,  full  of  a lively  faith,  answer* 
ed  that  there  was  present  a young  man  who 
had  five  barley  loaves  and  two  fishes. 
He  added  that  that  was  very  little  for 
such  a multitude ; but  he  never  doubted 
the  intention  of  Jesus  to  manifest  his 
omnipotence  on  this  occasion.  He  there- 
fore witnessed  the  miraculous  multiplica- 
tion of  the  loaves.  It  was  Andrew  who, 
in  his  zeal  to  make  Jesus  Christ  known, 


to  him  some  Gentiles  who  had 


come  from  Jerusalem  to  have  the  bless- 
ing of  beholding  the  Saviour.  They 
had  been  in  communication  with  Philip, 
and  he  obtained  for  them  the  grace  they 
desired. 

After  the  ascension  of  our  Lord,  and 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
Apostles  separated  to  go  and  preach  the 
Gospel.  Andrew  went  to  evangelize 
Scythia,  the  kingdom  of  Pontus,  and 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  AXDKEW. 

many  other  countries.  The  most  constant 
tradition  is  that  he  gave  his  life  for  the 
faith  at  Patras,  in  Achaia.  It  is  related 
of  the  Saint  that,  on  seeing  his  cross  at  a 
distance,  he  exclaimed,  “ I salute  thee,  O 
cross  ! consecrated  by  the  blood  of  my 
Grod.  I approach  thee  with  joy  ; receive 
Tie  in  thine  arms.  O salutary  cross  ! how 
.ong  have  I sought  and  desired  thee  ! My 
hopes  at  last  are  crowned.  May  he  who 
expired  on  thee  to  ransom  me,  receive  me 
through  thee ! ” Such  are  the  sentiments 
that  should  animate  all  those  who  desire 
sincerely  to  belong  to  Jesus  Christ.  They 
have  no  other  means  of  proving  them- 
selves to  be  his  true  disciples. 

St.  Andrew’s  love  of  the  cross  has  caus- 
ed many  religious  associations  to  select 
him  for  their  model  and  protector.  “ The 
whole  woild,”  says  Bossuet,  “must  adore 
the  cross.  Its  empire  shall  have  no  limits  ; 

[6] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  AXDIIEW. 


it  will  extend  its  dominion  to  the  re- 
motest religions,  to  tlie  furtliest  islands, 
and  to  nations  as  yet  unknown.  Oh ! 
what  a glorious  sight,  to  see  barbarians 
and  Greeks,  Scythians  and  Arabs,  and  all 
the  peoples  of  the  world,  constituting 
a new  kingdom,  whose  law  shall  be  the 
Gospel,  and  whose  standard  shall  be  the 
cross.  Rome  herself,  that  mighty  city,  / 
after  having  been  so  long  drunk  with  the 
blood  of  saints  and  martyrs  of  Jesus — 
Rome,  the  mistress,  shall  bend  her  head 
before  it.  She  will  extend  her  conquests 
furtkei  by  the  cross  than  she  ever  did  by 
her  arms;  and  we  will  behold  more  honor 
given  to  the  tomb  of  the  poor  fisherman 
than  w^as  ever  given  to  the  temple  of  her 
Romulus.  You,  ye  Caesars,  shall  *come 
hither  too.  Jesus  will  shatter  at  his  feet 
the  majesty  of  your  empire.  Constantine, 
the  victorious  emperor,  at  the  moment 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANDREW. 

marked  out  by  Providence,  shall  lift  the 
standard  of  the  cross  above  the  Roman 
eagles.  By  the  cross  he  shall  vanquish 
tyrants ; by  the  cross  he  shall  give  peace 
to  the  empire ; by  the  cross  he  will 
strengthen  his  house ; the  cross  shall  be 
his  only  trophy,  because  he  will  fearlessly 
proclaim  that  it  has  given  him  all  his  vic- 
tories. Thou  hast  triumphed,  O Jesus  1 
and  thou  leadest  in  triumph,  captive  and 
trembling,  the  powers  of  darkness  behind 
thy  cross.  Thou  hast  subdued  the  world 
not  by  steel,  but  by  the  wood ; for,  ah  ! it 
was  worthy  of  thee  to  vanquish  might  by 
weakness,  and  the  highest  by  the  low 
liest,  and  a false  and  proud  philosophy 
by  sage  and  modest  folly.  Thus  hast 
thou  shown  that  nothing  is  weak  in  thy 
hands,  and  that  thou  makest  thunder- 
bolts out  of  whatsoever  thou  wiliest  to 
employ  ” 

1 * [8j 


9 m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANDREW. 

PRATER. 

St.  Andrew,  generous  friend  of  the 
cross  of  our  Lord,  thou  who  hast  embrac- 
ed it  with  so  much  ardor,  and  who,  after 
the  example  of  thy  divine  Master,  has  be- 
dewed it  with  thy  blood ; obtain  for  us 
by  thy  prayers,  that  like  thee  we  may 
love  the  cross,  the  instrument  of  our  sal- 
vation, and  carry  it  as  our  Lord  com- 
mands in  the  Gospel,  till  at  length,  borne 
upon  it  ourselves,  we  may  arrive  without 
peril  in  eternal  beatitude. 


i 


m 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  GENEVIEVE. 


TOWARDS  the  decline  of  the  fourth 
century,  the  Church  was  desolated  by  one 
of  the  most  deadly  heresies  that  it  had 
ever  experienced.  Pelagius,  the  author 
and  propagator  of  this  heresy,  denied 
original  sin  and  the  necessity  of  the  grace 
of  Jesus  Christ.  In  a word,  he  strove  to 
undermine  the  very  foundations  of  oiu 
holy  religion. 

At  first  he  did  not  dare  to  avow  him- 
self and  his  errors  openly,  for  he  dreaded 
that  he  might  thus  shock  the  feelings  oi 

(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

all  Christendom,  by  denying  the  ancient 
and  universally  received  doctrine.  In 
order,  therefore,  to  pervert  the  souls  of  the 
faithful,  he  enveloped  his  perfidious  teach- 
ings in  equivocal  language,  hoping  thus 
to  succeed  in  his  fatal  project.  Pelagius 
was  aided  by  a disciple  of  his  named 
Celestius,  who  contributed  largely  to 
the  diffusion  of  the  errors  disseminated 
by  this  impious  sect ; one  of  them  dogma- 
tized in  the  East,  and  the  other  made 
Africa  and  Italy  the  scenes  of  his  unholy 
labors. 

During  that  time,  one  of  their  disciples 
named  Agricola,  sowed  the  seeds  of  this 
new  heresy  in  England,  which  was  then 
known  by  the  designation  of  Great 
Britain.  The  Catholics  of  that  island, 
terrified  by  the  spread  and  progress  of  the 
heresy,  had  recourse  to  the  French  bish- 
ops, whom  they  besought  to  send  them  or- 
(4) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

thodox  priests  to  check  the  torrent  of  evil 
that  swept  over  the  wlole  country.  The 
prelates  whom  they  addressed,  assembled 
in  429,  to  deliberate  on  the  means  by 
whicn  they  could  succor  and  save  the 
Britons.  In  that  assembly,  held,  as  it 
would  appear,  in  the  city  of  Arles,  St. 
Germain  of  Auxerre,  and  St.  Lupus  of 
Troyes,  were  chosen  to  proceed  to  Britain 
for  the  purpose  of  combating  the  heresy. 

The  two  Saints  having  set  out  for 
England,  passed  through  Nanterre,  a 
village  situated  about  two  leagues  from 
Paris.  Scarcely  had  they  arrived,  when 
they  were  surrounded  by  a vast  multitude, 
imploring  their  benediction.  In  that 
assemblage  was  a young  girl,  aged  seven 
years.  Her  name  was  Genevieve,  and  she 
was  born  in  that  very  village  of  Nanterre 
towards  the  close  of  the  year  422. 

Her  father  was  called  Severus,  and  her 
(5) 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

mother  Geronce.  Although  there  was 
nothing  extraordinary  in  the  appearance 
of  the  child,  St.  Germain,  enlightened  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  signalled  her  out  of  the 
crowd  that  pressed  around  him.  He 
caused  her  and  her  parents  to  approach 
him,  and  to  the  latter  he  foretold  the 
future  sanctity  of  their  child.  He  added, 
that  she  would  carry  out  the  resolution 
she  had  formed  of  serving  God,  and  that 
her  example  would  promote  the  sancti- 
fication of  others.  On  hearing  this, 
Genevieve  told  him,  that  she  had  long 
before  made  up  her  mind  to  live  in 
perpetual  virginity,  and  to  have  no  other 
title  than  that  of  spouse  of  Jesus  Christ 
“ Be  of  good  heart,  my  child,”  said  the 
holy  prelate;  “act  with  earnestness, 
and  struggle  to  prove  by  thy  works  that 
which  thou  believest  in  thy  heart,  and 
professest  with  thy  lips;  the  Lord  will 
(6) 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 


sustain  thee,  and  will  give  thee  the 
strength  that  is  required  to  carry  out  thy 
holy  resolution.”  On  the  spot  he  blessed 
her,  and  consecrated  her  to  God ; he 
then  conducted  her  to  the  Church  of 
Nanterre,  whither  he  was  followed^by  a 
vast  crowd  of  spectators. 

During  the  chanting  of  the  Psalms, 
that  is  to  say,  during  the  time  they 
were  reciting  Nones  and  Vespers,  St. 
Germain  kept  his  hands  stretched  out 
over  Genevieve’s  head.  He  detained 
her  near  his  person  during  the  repast, 
and  did  not  dismiss  her  till  her  parents 
had  promised  to  bring  her  back  to 
him  on  the  day  before  his  departure 
from  Nanterre. 

Severus  and  Geronee  conducted  their 
child  to  St.  Germain  at  the  appointed 
hour.  u Daughter,”  said  St.  Germain  to 
her,  “ rememberest  thou  the  promise 
(7) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

thou  didst  make  to  God  yesterday?” 
‘‘Yes,”  replied  the  holy  child,  “I  do 
remember  it,  and  I hope  to  be  faithful 
to  it  through  God’s  good  grace.” 

The  bishop,  charmed  by  this  beauti- 
ful answer,  exhorted  her  to  persevere  in 
the  same  sentiments.  He  then  gave  her 
a copper  medal,  on  which  was  engraved 
the  figure  of  the  cross,  telling  her  to  wear 
it  always  round  her  neck,  that  it  might 
serve  to  remind  her  of  the  consecration 
she  had  made  of  her  person  to  God. — 
“Thou  art  now,”  said  he,  “the  spouse  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  as  such  thou  must  put 
away  from  thee  necklaces  of  pearl, 
bracelets,  gold  and  silver  trinkets,  and 
all  worldly  adornments.” 

This  exhortation  of  the  holy  bishop 
would  lead  us  to  believe  that  St.  Gene- 
vieve was  of  a noble  and  opulent  family ; 
but  the  ancient  breviary  of  Paris,  and 
(8) 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

the  immemorial  tradition  of  the  place  of 
her  birth,  incline  us  to  think  that  her  father 
was  a shepherd.  It  is  probable  that  he 
belonged  to  a class  of  persons  who  were 
rich,  and  tended  their  flocks  according 
to  the  venerable  partriarchal  custom. 

Ever  since  the  day  of  her  interview 
with  St.  Germain,  Genevieve  looked  on 
herself  as  separated  from  the  society  of 
men,  and  notwithstanding  her  extreme 
youth  she  had  no  longer  desire  for  any- 
thing except  exercises  of  Christian  piety. 

Let  us  record  a singrdar  instance  of 
this  fact.  Her  father,  going  one  day  to 
the  Church  of  Nanterre,  refused  to  take 
his  daughter  along  with  him ; all  the  im- 
portunities of  the  poor  child  were  unavail- 
ing, and  the  mother,  in  a moment  of 
thoughtlessness  and  passion,  dealt  her  a 
blow.  But  God  immediately  punished 
this  hasty  act,  by  depriving  Geronce  of 
(») 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

sight.  She  remained  blind  for  twenty 
months.  God,  at  last,  was  pleased  to 
restore  her  vision  after  she  had  washed  her 
eyes  twice  or  thrice  in  water  which  her 
daughter  had  brought  from  a well,  and 
over  which  she  had  made  the  sign  of  the 
cross.  Herein  originated  the  devotion  to 
the  well  of  Nanterre,  the  water  of  which, 
according  to  the  tradition  of  the  country, 
was  blessed  by  St.  Genevieve. 

As  soon  as  the  Saint  had  attained  her 
fifteenth  year,  she  was  presented,  along 
with  two  other  maidens,  to  receive  the 
sacred  veil  of  religion  from  the  hands  of 
her  bishop.  Although  Genevieve  was 
the  youngest  of  the  three,  the  bishop  gave 
her  the  first  place,  observing  at  the  same 
time  that  the  Lord  had  already  sanctified 
her.  These  words  evidently  alluded  to 
what  had  occurred  in  the  presence  of  St 
Germain  and  St.  Lupus. 

(10) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

Genevieve,  having  lost  her  father  and 
mother,  took  up  her  abode  at  Paris,  in 
the  house  of  a woman  who  was  her  god- 
mother. Thither  she  brought  along  with 
her  that  spirit  of  mortification  which  ever 
since  the  moment  of  her  consecration  to 
God,  enabled  her  to  embrace  the  great- 
est penitential  austerities.  She  seldom 
ate  more  than  twice  a week — Sunday 
and  Thursday ; although  her  food  con- 
sisted only  of  a little  barley  and  beans. 
She  denied  herself  the  use  of  wine,  and 
never  drank  anything  but  water.  She 
continued  to  live  thus  till  she  was  fifty 
years  of  age.  Then,  in  obedience  to  the 
counsels  of  some  bishops,  she  consented 
to  use  a little  milk  and  some  fish. 

To  the  exercises  of  mortification,  she 
joined  an  inviolable  purity  of  body  and 
soul,  profound  humility,  vivid  faith,  ardent 
charity,  uninterrupted  prayer  and  a spirit 
(ii) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

d£  compunction,  which  during  her  hours 
of  prayer,  gave  to  her  eyes  an  abundant 
source  of  tears.  The  fervor  with  which 
she  accomplished  the  precepts  and  coun- 
sels of  the  gospel,  was  amply  recom- 
pensed by  the  interior  consolations  that 
are  never  found  in  the  vain  and  fleeting 
joys  of  this  world. 

Nevertheless,  her  virtue  was  to  be  test- 
ed by  tribulations,  and  God  permitted 
her  enemies  to  form  a league  against  h ov. 
They  ridiculed  her  mode  of  life,  a'  d 
hoping  to  succeed  in  ruining  her,  they 
flattered  themselves  that  they  had  discov- 
ered the  opportunity  in  the  candid  style, 
with  which  she  spoke  of  the  extraordinary 
favors  communicated  to  her  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  They  treated  her  as  a visionary 
and  a hypocrite,  and  by  means  of  odious 
and  base  insinuations,  (means  always 
resorted  to  by  envious  and  little  minded), 
(IS) 


*r 

1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

they  succeeded  in  exciting  the  indig- 
nation of  the  people  against  her.  This 
storm  continued  to  rage  till  the  arrival  of 
Saint  Germain  of  Auxerre,  who  passed 
through  Paris  on  his  second  visit  to 
Great  Britain.  The  holy  prelate,  who 
was  intimately  conversant  with  the  know- 
ledge of  God’s  mysterious  wavs,  and  who 
knew  that  even  the  pimest  souls  cannot 
escape  calumny,  refused  to  believe  the 
public  tale.  In  order  to  confound  them, 
he  made  a diligent  investigation  of  Gene- 
vieve’s conduct,  and  after  establishing 
her  innocence  on  the  most  unerring 
information,  he  took  up  her  defence,  and 
overwhelmed  the  whisperers  and  calum- 
niators * with  sham  e. 

But  this  calm  was  not  destined  to  last 
long,  and  the  torch  of  persecution  was 
soon  relit.  Let  us  hear  how  this  came  to 
pass.  In  the  year  451,  Attila,  king  of  the 

(13) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

Huns,  crossed  the  Rhine  and  entered 
France.  This  ferocious  conqueror  who 
styled  himself  the  Scourge  of  God , 
placed  all  his  glory  in  destruction  and 
desolation.  He  was  wont  to  say  that  no 
harvest  should  ever  grow  where  his  horse’s 
hoofs  had  trampled.  The  news  of  this 
barbarian’s  approach  filled  the  people 
with  terror  and  consternation ; his 
fierce  soldiers  spread  death  and  desolation 
along  their  line  of  march,  which  was 
marked  by  rapine,  murder,  and  fire.  The 
inhabitants  of  Paris  being  seized  with 
terror,  and  no  longer  confiding  in  the 
strength  of  their  city’s  walls,  resolved  to 
abandon  it,  and  secure  themselves  in  some 
place  more  strongly  fortified.  Genevieve, 
inspired  by  that  confidence  in  God  which 
has  rendered  the  names  of  Judith  and 
Esther  so  celebrated,  far  from  losing 
courage,  exhorted  the  Parisians  to  works 
(14) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

of  repentance,  assuring  them  that  they 
should  experience  the  effects  of  the  Divine 
protection,  if  they  would  only  merit  it  by 
fastings,  and  supplications  for  mercy. 
Some  women,  moved  by  her  discourses, 
shut  themselves  up  with  her  in  the  public 
baptistery,  and  there  passed  many  days 
in  the  exercises  of  prayer  and  penance. 
As  for  the  others,  they  treated  the  Saint  as 
a false  prophetess,  and  they  carried  their 
folly  so  far  as  to  threaten  her  life.  She  was 
saved,  however,  from  their  fury  by  the 
intervention  of  the  archdeacon  of  Auxerre, 
who  was  sent  by  St.  Germain  to  give  her 
presents  of  things  that  he  had  blessed, 
as  a sign  of  union  and  Christian  love. 

This  marked  attention  on  the  part  of 
St.  Germain,  clearly  showed  how  much 
he  esteemed  Genevieve ; and  seeing  it, 
her  persecutors  began  to  reflect  and  grow 
ashamed  of  them  impiety.  They  were 

(15) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 


brought  back  speedily  to  a sense  of  tkeii 
duty,  and  they  soon  began  to  entertain 
sentiments  more  conformable  to  humanity 
and  religion.  They  now  fasted  rigidly, 
and  besought  the  God  of  hosts  to  avert 
the  calamities  that  were  lowering  over 
them  ; and  as  soon  as  they  learned  that 
Attila  had  altered  his  projected  march  on 
Paris,  they  found  that  the  prediction  of  St. 
Genevieve  was  realized  to  the  very  letter. 

Thenceforth,  their  veneration  for  her 
increased  daily,  for,  along  with  the  gift  of 
prophecy,  she  possessed  the  power  of 
performing  miracles,  many  of  which  God 
was  pleased  to  operate  through  her 
agency  in  Paris,  Troyes,  Meaux,  Orleans, 
and  Tours.  The  fame  of  her  sanctity 
was  now  wafted  to  distant  countries,  and 
St.  Simon  Stylites  sent  a messenger  from 
rhc  East  to  supplicate  the  aid  of  her 
prayers. 


(16) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 


The  sainted  creature  who  had  so  much 
influence  with  her  God,  most  certainly 
deserved  the  confidence  and  veneration  of 
die  people.  They  fully  proved  that  they 
placed  great  confidence  in  her  at  the  time 
when  Childeric,  king  of  the  Franks,  was 
besieging  Paris;  and  indeed  they  were 
not  deceived.  The  besieged  were  threat- 
ened with  a famine,  and  Genevieve  placed 
herself  at  the  head  of  those  wdio  were 
sent  to  collect  food,  accompanying  them 
to  Arcis-sur-Aube  and  as  far  as  Troyes. 
They  succeeded  beyond  them  most  san- 
guine hopes,  and  they  returned  to  Paris 
in  safety,  despite  the  many  dangers 
which  they  had  to  encounter.  After  the 
fall  of  Paris,  Childeric,  notwithstanding 
that  he  was  a pagan,  did  homage  to  hei 
virtue,  and  at  her  instances  performed 
many  acts  of  clemency.  In  this  respect 
he  was  imitated  by  his  son  Clovis,  who 

(17) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 


invariably  released  his  prisoners  when 
our  Saint  besought  then'  liberation. 

Genevieve  cherished  a profound  de- 
votion for  St.  Martin  of  Tours  and  St 
Denis  of  Paris.  She  went  frequently  to 
venerate  the  relics  of  the  former,  and 
built  in  honor  of  St.  Denis  and  his 
companions  in  martydom,  a church  on 
the  spot  where  they  had  shed  their  blood 
for  J esus  Christ. 

She  also  projected  the  basilica  sacred 
to  Saints  Peter  and  Paul,  commenced  by 
King  Clovis  and  completed  by  Queen 
Clotilda,  whose  holy  life  has  been  de- 
scribed in  this  series.  At  length  after 
having  spent  eighty-nine  years  in  the 
practice  of  every  good  work,  she  died  on 
the  third  of  January,  a.  d.  512,  five 
weeks  after  Clovis  the  first  of  the  French 
Christian  kings.  Her  body  was  interred 
near  the  body  of  this  prince,  within  the 
(18) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 


precincts  of  the  new  church  of  the  Apo* 
sties,  which  was  not  yet  finished. 

Immediately  after  her  death  the  peo- 
ple erected  an  oratory  of  wood  over  her 
tomb,  which  remained  standing  till  the 
new  church  was  finally  built.  Her  body 
was  then  disinterred,  and  placed  in  a 
magnificent  silver  shrine  made  by  St 
Eloi.  In  order  to  preserve  this  shrine 
from  the  rapacity  of  the  Normans,  it 
was  successively  removed  to  various 
places  and  brought  back  to  Paris  in  855. 

The  city  of  Paris  has  frequently  ob- 
tained the  most  signal  favors  through 
the  intercession  of  St.  Genevieve ; but 
never  was  her  powerful  mediation  more 
sensibly  felt  than  at  the  period  when  the 
inhabitants  were  visited  by  the  terrible 
plague  during  the  reign  of  Louis  the  Far, 
a.  i).  1129.  God  has  signally  honored 
this  illustrious  Saint  in  our  times,  by 
(19) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  GENEVIEVE. 

purifying  the  temple  sacred,  under  her 
invocation,  to  the  Most  High,  and  re- 
erecting its  altars  overthrown  by  the 
infidel. 

PKAYER. 

Holy  Genevieve,  model  of  purity,  of 
humility,  of  detachment  from  the  world, 
of  mortification  and  perseverance — 0 
thou  who  hast  been  deemed  worthy,  by 
reason  of  thy  virtues,  to  perform  such 
grand  miracles,  employ  in  our  behalf 
thy  powerful  intercession  with  God ; 
implore  Him  to  keep  us  not  only  from 
the  maladies  that  enfeeble  our  bodies, 
but  especially  and  above  all  from  those 
that  corrupt  the  soul  and  cause  its 
everlasting  death.  Beseech  Him  to  give 
us  grace  to  bear  all  the  trials  that  He 
sends  us,  in  a spirit  of  true  Christianity, 
that  they  may  ultimately  conduce  to  our 
salvation. 

(80) 


I 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  TERESA. 


In  this  history  we  shall  frequently 
have  occasion  to  quote  the  very  words 
of  the  saint  herself.  It  is  the  best  manner 
in  which  we  can  depict  her,  for  she 
herself  has  recorded  every  single  event 
of  her  life  with  admirable  candor,  ele- 
gance, humility,  and  freedom. 

Saint  Teresa  was  born  on  the  28th  of 
March,  1515,  at  Avila,  in  Old  Castile,  of 
a family  which  occupied  an  exalted  posi- 
tion in  their  province.  Her  father  was  a 
pious  gentleman,  and  her  mother  was  a 
lady  eminently  distinguished  for  her 
virtues. 

(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

This  birth,  in  a certain  sense  holy, 
and  the  Christian  impressions  which  she 
received  in  her  cradle,  explain  how,  at 
the  age  of  six  or  seven  years,  Teresa  was 
already  smitten  with  the  love  of  virtue, 
so  much  so,  that  she  was  wont  to  shed 
tears  abundantly  when  hearing  the  Gos- 
pel read,  or  listening  to  the  recital  of  the 
history  of  the  saints  and  martyrs. 

It  is  better  that  we  should  hear  herself 
describing  liow,  at  so  tender  an  age,  her 
heart  was  opened  to  the  salutary  impres- 
sions of  divine  grace 

u Although  I loved  all  my  brothers 
tenderly,  and  was  by  them  tenderly 
loved  in  return,  there  was  one  of  them, 
nevertheless,  whom  I loved  more  dearly 
than  the  others.  He  was  about  my  own 
age,  and  we  read  together  the  Lives  of 
the  Saints.  It  seemed  to  me,  whilst 
listening  to  their  histories — how  some  of 
(4) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


them  liad  suffered  martyrdom  for  the 
love  of  God — that  they  had  easily  earned 
the  blessing  of  enjoying  the  beatific 
vision  eternally.  I was  then  seized  with 
a desire  to  die  like  them.  This  desire, 
however,  was  not  awakened  in  me  by 
any  impression  of  the  divine  love,  for 
my  only  motive  was  to  hasten  the  ac- 
quirement of  that  transcendent  felicity 
which  books  told  me  they  were  enjoying 
in  heaven.  My  brother  entered  into  my 
sentiments,  and  we  deliberated  together 
on  the  means  of  satisfying  this  ardent 
longing*.  YvTe  fancied  that  the  best 
means  of  producing  this  result  was  to 
proceed  to  the  country  of  the  Moors,  and 
there,  whilst  begging  ahns,  to  die  by 
their  hands.  And  although  we  were 
mere  children,  it  appeared  to  us  both 
that  God  had  given  us  coimage  enough 
to  carry  this  resolution  into  effect,  in  case 
(5) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

we  could  find  an  opportunity  of  accom- 
plishing our  design.  Our  cliiefest  diffi- 
culty was  about  leaving  our  parents : 
but  the  eternity  of  glory  or  of  torment 
which  our  books  so  strongly  pictured, 
struck  our  souls  with  such  wonderful 
astonishment  that  we  were  ever  and 
always  repeating,  for  ever,  for  ever  ; 
so  much  so,  that  young  as  I was,  God 
gave  me  grace,  when  I pronounced 
these  words,  to  imprint  on  my  heart  the 
desire  of  entering  on  and  continuing  to 
walk  in  the  path  of  truth.” 

Filled  with  these  holy  thoughts,  the 
two  children  thought  of  nothing  save 
the  execution  of  their  project ; in  fact, 
they  one  day  quitted  the  paternal  roof, 
and  like  two  pilgrims,  proceeded  along 
the  high  road,  incessantly  offering  to  God 
the  lives  they  wished  to  sacrifice  to  him 
by  martyrdom.  Happily,  however,  they 
(0) 


i 

i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TEEESA. 

were  met  near  tile  gate  of  the  city  by 
one  of  their  uncles,  who  brought  them 
back  to  then’  mother,  who  was  then 
Buffering*  anguish  at  their  absence. 

Having  been  thus  toned  from  their 
design,  they  passed  the  time  making 
little  hermitages  in  the  garden  of  their 
house,  resolved  to  live  after  the  manner 
of  Hilarion,  Anthony,  Paul,  and  Magda- 
lene. “But,”  says  St.  Theresa,  “we 
knew  very  little  about  the  building  of 
hermitages.  The  stones  that  for  that 
purpose  we  piled  one  on  the  other,  were 
continually  falling,  for  want  of  cement  ', 
so  much  so  that  we  could  not  effect  our 
object.  Even  then  I could  not  reflect 
without  being  sensibly  affected  that  God 
had  given  me  graces  which  I turned  to 
very  little  profit.” 

Teresa  was  born  with  a tender  and 
generous  soul ; and  it  is  in  pouring  out 
(7) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

Ler  soul  at  the  feet  of  God  that  she 
placed  all  her  felicity.  A simple  picture 
of  the  Samaritan  woman  that  she  had  in 
her  chamber,  penetrated  her  with  Divine 
love.  u Ah,  Lord ! ” she  would  incessantly 
exclaim,  “ give  me  to  drink  of  that  water.” 

Devotion  to  the  ever-blessed  Mother 
of  God  could  not  but  be  developed  early 
in  a soul  so  sensitive.  She  had  just 
now  lost  her  mother,  and  she  therefore 
prostrated  herself  at  the  feet  of  Mary, 
and  conjured  her  to  be  a mother  to  her, 
and  to  look  upon  her  as  her  child.  At 
a later  period  of  her  life,  Teresa  at- 
tributed to  tliis  action  a portion  of  the 
graces  she  had  received  from  God.  She 
never  doubted  that  Mary  had  heard  her 
prayer,  and  delivered  her  from  many 
dangers  in  which  she  ran  the  risk  of 
losing  at  one  and  the  same  time  her 
innocence  and  the  love  of  her  duties. 

(8) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


The  reading  of  certain  romances,  and 
visits  to  a relative  not  over  virtuous, 
caused  her  to  relax  in  a considerable 
degree  her  pious  practices.  She  then 
loved  to  adorn  herself,  and  she  felt  an 
incipient  desire  to  be  considered  pleasing. 
“ Happily,”  says  she,  “ God  watched 
over  my  innocence,  and  by  a special 
effort  of  his  goodness  opened  my  eyes, 
and  led  me  back  to  the  way  which  I had 
so  foolishly  abandoned.” 

Her  father  having  confided  her  to  the 
Augustinian  nuns  of  Avila,  she  remained 
in  their  ] louse  for  eighteen  months,  and 
profited  much  by  the  good  education 
which*  they  gave  her.  A grievous  illness 
now  obliged  her  to  return  to  the  paternal 
roof.  As  soon  as  her  health  was  some- 
what re-established,  she  went  to  pass  some 
days  in  the  country,  and  the  conversa- 
tions she  held  with  one  of  her  uncles,  a 
(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

man  of  remarkable  piety,  planted  deeply 
in  her  heart  all  the  holy  desires  of  an 
interior  and  hidden  life.  She  now  proved 
to  herself  how  vain  are  all  things  of 
earth,  and  resolved  to  enter  into  religion. 
The  perusal  of  the  Epistles  of  St.  Jerome 
completed  the  workings  of  grace,  and 
she  now  determined  to  declare  to  her 
father  her  design  of  consecrating  herself 
to  God.  Her  father  loved  her  with 
tenderest  love,  and  refused  to  give  his 
consent.  She  therefore  arose  one  morn- 
ing, and  proceeded  to  the  monastery  of 
the  Carmelites  of  the  Incarnation  at 
Avila,  and  supplicated  admission 
amongst  its  novices. 

This  step  cost  her  bitter  pain,  and  she 
could  not  but  feel  sorrow  on  quitting  the 
domestic  roof ; but  grace  triumphed  o\cr 
nature,  and  Teresa,  having  been  received 
into  the  monastery,  was  soon  clothed 
(i(» 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA 

with  the  habit  God  was  now  pleased  to 
pour  his  choicest  consolations  into  her 
souL  She  rejoiced  to  find  herself  freed 
from  the  vain  amusements  and  follies  of 
the  age  ; so  much  so,  that  she  could  not 
comprehend  how  such  a change  had  been 
so  rapidly  operated  in  her  soul.  “ The 
remembrance  of  the  fact,”  said  she,  many 
years  afterwards,  “even  now  preserves 
such  a wonderful  impression  on  my  mind 
that  there  is  nothing,  no  matter  how  diffi- 
cult, that  I would  dread  to  undertake  for 
the  service  of  God ; for  I know  by  divers 
experiences,  that  when  we  are  influenced 
solely  by  love  of  him,  he  does  not  con- 
tent himself  by  aiding  us  to  take  holy 
resolutions,  but,  wishing  to  augment  our 
merits,  he  so  arranges  that  all  our  diffi- 
culties appear  insurmountable,  that  he 
may  have  occasion  to  render  our  joy 
and  recompense  commensurate  with  the 
(ii* 


TI1E  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


obstacles  that  have  been  thrown  in  our 
way.  Even  in  this  life  He  gives  ns  to 
taste  these  consolations  which  are  un- 
known save  to  those  who  experience 

them.” 

God,  meanwhile,  subjected  his  ser- 
vant to  some  trials  ; but  in  all  of  them 
Teresa  consoled  herself  with  the  reflection 
that  she  should  soon  be  a religious,  and 
at  last,  wdien  that  moment  so  ardently 
longed  for  came,  she  pronounced  her 
vows  with  singular  fervor,  giving  her- 
self, heart  and  soul,  to  God  as  his  spouse 
— to  that  God  who  had  already  filled  her 
with  most  inestimable  delights.  Change 
of  diet,  added  to  her  mortifications,  im- 
paired Teresa’s  health.  A complication 
of  diseases  rendered  her  state  more  dan- 
gerous, and,  in  fact,  the  medical  men 
had  exhausted  all  their  ingenuity  with- 
out restoring  her  to  convalescence.  Hei 
(12) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

father  was  inconsolable ; but  lie  left 
nothing  untried  that  might  tend  to  her 
recovery,  or,  we  should  rather  say,  to 
recall  her  from  death  to  life,  for  her  case 
was  desperate.  Eight  months  did  she 
pass  between  death  and  life,  and'  ev.en 
when  she  grew  somewhat  better,  her 
limbs  were  paralyzed  during  the  three 
years  that  followed.  In  the  midst  of  all 
these  sufferings  our  Saint  exhibited  the 
most  holy  resignation.  ' “ The  history  oi 
Job,”  quoth  she,  “ which  I read  in  the 
Morals  of  St  Gregory , was  of  great  bene- 
fit to  me,  and  it  seemed  that  God  had 
prepared  me  by  the  study  of  such  writ- 
ings to  bear  all  my  dolors.  The  suc- 
cor that  I thence  derived,  helped  me  to 
pray.  All  my  communings  were  then 
with  God  alone,  and  I had  always  in  my 
heart  and  on  my  lips  the  word  of  Job, 

which  strengthened  and  consoled  my 
(13) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

spirit : ‘ Since  we  have  received  so  many 
benefits  from  the  hands  of  God , why  should 
we  not  bear  the  afflictions  He  sends  us  f ’ ” 
Thus,  day  by  day,  did  Teresa  advance 
on  the  road  to  perfection.  Her  dearest 
delight  was  to  converse  about  God,  to 
think  of  God,  and  to  renounce  all  things 
for  the  sake  of  God.  Nevertheless  her 
progress  was  slow,  in  default  of  en- 
lightened directors  whom  she  needed  to 
guide  her  on  the  way  of  perfection 
wherein  God  had  placed  her.  The  Lord 
had  already  begun  to  fill  her  soul  with 
those  grand  graces  which  make  saints, 
and  the  cliiefest  of  these  graces  was  sub- 
limity of  prayer.  Teresa,  though  now 
in  her  twentieth  year,  did  not  as  yet 
comprehend  this  wonderful  favor.  The 
tears  which  she  shed  so  abundantly — 
expressed  as  they  were  by  the  divine 
love — instead  of  consoling,  afflicted  her, 
(14) 


I 


THE  LI£E  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

wlien  she  considered  how  little  fruit  she 
gathered  from  them,  by  reason  of  what 
she  termed  her  relapses  into  sin.  W onder- 
ful  was  her  ingenuity  in  exaggerating  her 
defects  to  the  eyes  of  those  with  whom 
she  conversed.  This  fact  pervades  every 
page  of  her  history ; she  would  fain  have 
us  believe  that  she  was  a great  sinner : 
u yes,”  says  she,  “ I deserve  blame  from 
him  who,  in  commanding  me  to  write  the 
history  of  my  life,  ordains  that  I should 
moderate  myself  in  that  which  regards 
the  avowal  of  my  sins I con- 

jure him  in  the  name  of  God,  to  be 
pleased  with  my  acknowledgment  of 
them,  wherein  I dissemble  nothing,  in 
order  that  every  one  may  see  how  admi- 
rable is  the  Lord’s  mercy,  and  with  what 
patience  he  bears  all  our  offences  ” With 
good  reason  did  her  confessor  bind  her 
to  be  reserved  in  these  particulars,  for 
(15) 


\ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

lie  knew  lier  tendency  to  magnify  lief 
defects,  although  her  confessors  assured 
her  that  she  had  never  sinned  mortally 
during  the  whole  course  of  her  life. 

Teresa,  meanwhile  continuing  to  be 
paralyzed  in  her  limbs,  and  hoping  no 
benefit  from  the  medical  men,  cast  herself 
on  God  for  the  restoration  of  her  health. 
She  had  most  unbounded  confidence  in 
St.  Joseph,  whom  she  said  she  never 
implored  in  vain. 

It  was  not,  however,  till  after  the  lapse 
of  three  years,  that  Teresa  was  restored 
to  better  health.  These  three  years  were 
periods  of  agony,  of  prayer,  of  sacrifices, 
and  entire  immolation  of  herself  to  God. 

The  characteristics  of  soul  and  heart 
which  rendered  Teresa  so  amiable  before 
her  illness,  shone  forth  with  increased 
lustre  after  her  cure.  Every  one  loved 
her  for  the  mildness  of  her  disposition, 
(16) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

and  the  maturity  of  her  judgment 
Being  naturally  very  sensible,  she 
struggled  in  vain  to  shun  the  universal 
anxiety  with  which  people  hastened  to 
hear  and  see  her.  “ I fell,”  says  she, 
“ into  so  many  perilous  occasions,  that 
my  soul  from  vanity  to  vanity,  lapsed 
into  singular  dissipation.  I no  longer 
dared  to  unite  myself  to  God  with  that 
familiarity  inspired  by  prayer.” 

Although  every  respect  very  regu- 
lar, the  Carmelites  of  Avila  did  not 
observe  cloister-life : then’  mitigated 
rule  permitted  them  to  receive  the  visits 
of  worldlings,  and  Teresa  was  wont  to 
hold  conversations  which  at  that  time 
appeared  to  her  nowise  dangerous. 
Amongst  the  externs  who  came  occa- 
sionally to  visit  her,  there  was  one 
woman  for  whom  she  entertained  great 
friendship.  One  day,  whilst  conversing. 

(17) 


T 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA 

God  opened  her  eyes  to  her  danger: 
“ Jesus  Christ,”  said  she,  “ presented 
himself  to  me  with  a severe  aspect,  and 
gave  me  to  know  what  was  displeasing 
to  Him  in  this  attachment.  The  im- 
pression of  that  aspect  was  so  profound, 
that  I still  remember  it  as  a tiling 
present : the  trouble  and  the  pain  it 
created  in  my  soul  were  so  great,  that 
I could  not  any  more  bring  myself  to 
receive  that  person.” 

Long  years  of  combats  and  of  frequent 
alternations  of  aridities  and  consolations, 
conducted  Teresa  onwards  to  perfection  ; 
but  it  was  principally  owing  to  the 
salutary  exercise  of  prayer  that  she  held 
herself  indebted  to  God  for  her  health. 
Let  us  hear  her  describing  this  in  the 
sentiments  of  liveliest  gratitude — “ My 
Lord  and  my  God,  who  art  the  joy  of 

angels,  I cannot  contemplate  the  ad- 
(18) 


-4* 

I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

vantages  of  communing  with  thee  through 
pra}rer,  without  wishing  to  be  melted 
like  wax  before  the  fire  of  thy  love.  Ah ! 
how  great  is  thy  goodness  in  sustaining, 
nay,  in  preserving  by  thy  favors,  a 
creature  so  imperfect  and  so  culpable. 
You  take  into  account  the  moments  in 
which  we  evince  our  love  for  thee,  and 
even  a weak  repentance  causes  thee  to 
forget  our  failings.  In  myself  I have 
experienced  this,  oh,  my  God ! and  I 
cannot  understand  why  the  whole  world 
doos  not  approach  thee  to  partake  of  thy 
friendship.” 

This  illustrious  servant  of  J esus  Christ 
never  dissembled  the  aridities  she  ex- 
perienced in  this  holy  exercise.  “ The  sad- 
ness I felt,”  says  she,  “when  about  to 
pray,  was  so  great,  that  to  nerve  myself, 
I had  need  of  all  the  courage  that  God 
gave  me.  But  at  length  the  Lord  assisted 

(19) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

me,  for  after  causing  me  to  do  violence 
to  myself,  I tasted  more  calmness  and 
sweeter  pleasure  than  on  many  an 
occasion  when  I felt  myself  disposed  to 
pray.” 

Teresa,  whilst  praying,  took  especial 
pleasure  in  contemplating  our  Lord  in 
his  most  afflicted  and  abandoned  condi- 
tion, for  it  seemed  to  her  that  He  was 
thus  more  accessible  to  all  those  who 
stood  in  need  of  His  assistance : “I 
cherished,”  says  she,  u these  simple 
practices,  and  I never  found  myself 
happier  then  when  I accompanied  Him 
in  spirit  to  the  garden  of  Olives,  and  when 
I pictured  to  myself  that  transcendent 
agony  which  caused  the  sweat  of  blood 

Oh,  that  it  had  been  mine  to  wipe 

away  those  crimson  drops ! ” 

Teresa  entertained  most  tender  de- 
votion for  St.  Mary  Magdalene.  Before 
(20) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

communicating,  she  was  always*  wont  to 
be  mindful  of  her.  Like  the  penitent 
woman,  she  went  to  prostrate  herself  at 
her  Lord’s  feet,  to  bathe  them  with  her 
tears,  and  to  merit  the  pardon  of  her  sins. 
Nor  was  her  devotion  less  tender  for  St. 
Augustine.  Her  humility  caused  her  to 
contemplate  penitent  souls  as  the  best 
models  for  her  copying.  The  perusal  of 
St.  Augustine’s  Confessions  made  her 
weep  torrents  of  tears,  and  describing  this 
passage  of  her  life,  nothing  can  excel  her 
pathos — “ Oh  ! never  can  I sufficiently 
laud  thee,  my  God,  for  having  given  me, 
through  this  medium,  a new  life,  for  it 
was  thus  that  thou  didst  bring  me  from 
a state  which  was  like  to  death.  It  seems 
that  thy  divine  bounty  has  strengthened 
me  ever  since  that  day : no,  I may  not 
doubt  that  thy  mercy  heard  my  cries, 
and  that  it  has  been  touched  with  com- 
(31) 


I 


i 

I 

i 

THE  LIEE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

miseration  in  seeing  me  shed  so  many 
tears.” 

Teresa  loved  and  served  God  with  all 
her  heart,  and  God  bestowed  on  her  His 
choicest  gifts,  and  all  these  supernatural 
favors  by  which  great  souls  learn  how 
sweet  it  is  to  love  and  serve  Him. 

One  day  whilst  Teresa  was  praying, 
she  was  suddenly  rapt  in  an  ecstacy,  and 
in  this  state  she  heard  these  words : 
“ Henceforth  I would  have  thee  converse  not 
with  men , hut  with  angels.”  These  words 
wrought  such  a profound  impression  on 
her  heart,  that  she  ever  afterwards 
loathed  all  friendships  that  had  not  the 
Lord  for  their  object:  thenceforth  she 
held  communication  with  none  save 
those  who  loved  God  and  labored  to 
serve  Him. 

To  prayer  Teresa  ascribed  all  the  gifts 
she  received.  Being  obliged  by  her 
(22) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


confessor  to  commit  to  writing  all  that 
she  knew  of  this  subject,  she  has  left  us 
lessons  of  the  most  sublime  perfection. 

These  are  the  extraordinary  lights  that 
nave  given  her  such  a glorious  name 
throughout  the  whole  Church.  So 
glorious  were  these  lights,  that  even 
bishops,  eminent  for  learning  and  sanc- 
tity, modelled  their  conduct  according 
to  her  counsels,  and  followed  them  with 
filial  docility. 

Her  works,  so  full  of  research,  so 
estimable,  and  so  authentically  approved 
during  her  lifetime,  will  always  con- 
stitute some  of  the  richest  of  the  Church’s 
treasures. 

The  great  Bossuet  called  her  doctrine 
a celestial  doctrine ; her  spiritual  works 
merited  for  her,  particularly  from  Pope 
Gregory  XY,  and  Urban  VIII,  the 
august  title  of  Doctor  of  the  Church ; a 


THE  LxFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

title  so  singular  in  a woman  that  it  has 
.ever  been  granted  to  any  other  of  her 
sex. 

Few  souls  have  ever  existed  so 
thoroughly  penetrated  by  the  Divine 
love,  as  that  of  Teresa.  It  was  she  who, 
in  a transport  of  consuming  charity,  ex- 
claimed, that  she  would  not  have  any 
one  love  God  more  intensely  than  herself. 
It  was  Teresa,  who,  in  the  desire  of  being 
united  to  her  God,  exclaimed: — “ 1 die, 
oli , my  God ! of  not  being  able  to  die.11  It 
was  Teresa  also,  who,  in  her  yearning  to 
suffer  for  the  object  of  her  love,  said  to 
Him,  in  the  sublime  ecstacy  of  her 
affection : — “ Let  me  suffer,  oh,  Lord  ! or  let 
me  die : 11  her  works  are  replete  with  these 
holy  transports  which  her  heart  exhaled 
like  a holy  fire  that  consumed  her. 
u Grant,  oh,  Lord!”  she  exclaims,  u that 
notldng  of  this  world  may  any  longer 
(24) 


l 

r 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


give  me  concern ; all,  take  me  from  this 
world ; thy  poor  servant  could  not  sustain 
the  affliction  of  seeing  herself  without 
I you;  if  she  must  still  bide  on  earth,  she 
s she  can  have  no  repose;  no,  Lord,  give 
her  no  rest,  this  poor  soul  yearns  for 
true  liberty ; eating  kills  me — sleep 
I fatigues  me ; she  sees  all  her  days  passing 
in  bestowing  solace  on  nature.  Outside 
thee  nothing  can  console  her,  so  much  so 
that  she  feels  herself  living  unnaturally, 
since  she  cannot  live  in  herself,  but  in 
thee  alone.” 

In  another  passage  she  thus  pours  out 
her  soul : u Oh,  my  Sovereign  Good ! 
hasten  the  happy  day  when  I can  be 
able  to  make  thee  some  miserable  return 
for  the  immense  sums  that  I owe  to  thee 

Other  women  have  attested  then* 

love  of  thee  by  heroic  action,  but  thou 
engagest  me  to  do  nothing,  because  thou 

(25) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


t 


! 


i 


geest  indubitably  that  all  I do  consists  ol 
words  and  sterile  desires : therefore, 
fortify  my  soul,  oh  thou ! who  art  the 
best  of  all  good  gifts.” 

Thus  were  the  favors  which  God  be- 
stowed on  his  servant  multiplied  day 
after  day. 

It  was  no  longer  as  heretofore  a 
celestial  voice  that  spoke  to  her  soul ; ifc 
was  Jesus  Christ  himself  who  frequently 
appeared  to  her,  deigning  to  console  and 
instruct  her  in  his  marvellous  ways.  In 
the  history  of  her  life,  Teresa  recounts 
all  these  favors  with  humility  and  can- 
dor, and  in  this  narrative  she  has 
bequeathed  to  us  a new  proof  of  her 
submission  to  the  will  of  her  spiritual 
directors. 

If  we  now  direct  our  attention  to  the 
doctrine  spread  over  her  writings,  we  will 
find  that  it  is  in  every  tittle  conformable 
(26) 


1 

i 

< 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


to  the  teachings  of  the  Church,  and  to 
that  spirit  which  characterizes  the  works 
of  the  most  learned  sages  and  contem- 
platives.  Thus  in  the  prayer  which  the 
church  sends  up  on  the  day  of  her  feast, 
this  doctrine  is  termed  a “ celestial 
doctrine.”  The  profoundest  secrets  of 
the  sanctuary  of  the  divine  love  are 
'there  unfolded  with  a clearness  of  wliich 
one  would  think  they  were  not  suscep- 
tible; and  all  that  is  most  interior  in 
sublimest  prayer — all  that  cannot  be 
known  save  by  long  experience,  all  that 
human  language  seemed  so  incapable  of 
expressing,  is  conveyed  so  lucidly  and 
with  such  energy,  that  no  one  can  refuse 
to  recognize  in  it  the  hand  of  God,  par- 
ticularly when  we  bear  in  mind  that 
Teresa  was  'a  woman  without  erudition 
and  without  studies,  or  such  aids.  It  is 

true  that  she  was  bom  with  great  natural 
(27) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


talent,  correct  judgment,  and  fruitful 
imagination ; but  notwithstanding  all  the 
talent  that  nature  gives,  it  is  only  in  the 
school  of  Christ  that  one  can  learn  to 
speak  appropriately  on  such  subjects. 
How  great  was  her  reluctance  to  trace 
the  history  of  her  life!  How  humbly 
does  she  speak  of  the  favors  which 
heaven  rained  down  on  her ! How  fre- 
quently and  how  unreservedly  does  she 
submit  to  the  judgment  of  her  director ! 
and,  above  all,  to  that  of  the  Church,  all 
and  every  word  she  penned.  With  what 
candor  does  she  express  her  regrets  for 
the  time  lost  in  writing  that  history,  to 
the  prejudice  of  the  poor  house  where 
she  dwelt — a house  so  poor  that  she 
would  willingly  have  given  her  time  tc 
spinning  for  its  maintenance  ! In  a 
word,  everything  relating  to  her  writings, 

aer  style  of  narrative,  and  as  a learned 
(28) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

translator  of  her  life  properly  remarks, 
her  frequent  digressions,  her  pious 
ejaculations,  her  transports  of  love,  her 
colloquies  with  our  Lord,  in  which 
through  force  of  habit  she  pours  forth 
her  soul  in  prayer, — all,  even  to  the  very 
parentheses  which  are  multiplied  in  her 
books,  and  the  apologies  she  jnakes  for 
them  to  her  confessor  with  such  charm- 
ing ingenuousness,  all  harmonize  in  prov- 
ing the  verity  of  the  facts  which  she 
details. 

But  if  the  goodness  of  the  All-Powerful 
heaped  on  his  servant  all  these  favors 
that  are  calculated  to  awaken  our  admi- 
ration, we  must  bow  reverently  before 
the  grand  lessons  of  virtue  which  are  to  bo 
found  strewn  over  all  her  writings.—* 
Above  all,  we  must  admire  her  love  of 
obedience  ; she  preferred  tills  virtue  even 
to  her  revelations,  observing  that  it  was 
(29) 

- 

L_ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TEKESA. 

possible  to  be  deluded  by  the  devil,  but 
that  there  was  no  possibility  of  erring  in 
obedience.  Always  firm  and  constant  in 
this  principle,  she  obeyed  her  superiors 
with  admirable  simplicity. 

Penetrated  with  admiration  of  the 
extreme  docility  of  his  penitent,  Father 
Alvarez  exclaimed:  “Behold!  Teresa 
of  Jesus  ! oh,  what  extraordinary  graces  1 
has  she  received  from  God!  and  yet,  no 
matter  what  I prescribe  for  her,  she  is  as 
tractable  as  the  merest  infant ! ”■ 

The  spirit  of  penance  by  which  our 
saint  was  animated,  was  not  less  edifying 
than  her  obedience,  her  candor,  and  her 
humility.  The  sole  remembrance  of  her 
earliest  years  overcharged  her  with  live- 
liest compunction,  and  she  bewailed  her 
faults  with  as  much  grief  as  did  Mag- 
dalene or  Thais  their  crimes.  Constant 
vigils,  austere  fasts,  the  discipline,  sack- 
(30) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

cloth,  and  prayer  almost  incessant,  were 
the  principal  means  she  employed  to  ex- 
piate what  she  termed  her  sins. 

Teresa,  by  her  patience  in  all  the  vicissi- 
tudes and  contradictions  that  she  had  to 
bear,  and  as  it  were  enamored  of  penances 
and  poverty,  clearly  proved  that  she  had 
renounced  every  species  of  enjoyment  on 
earth  that  she  might  be  free  to  undergo 
pain  and  toil. 

“ Think  you,”  said  the  Lord  to  her  in 
a mystic  vision,  “that  merit  consists  in 
enjoyment?  No;  but  it  consists  rather 
in  laboring  to  suffer  and  to  love.  He 
is  the  most  dearly  beloved  of  my  Father 
to  whom  is  given  the  weightiest  cross, 
provided  it  be  accepted  and  earned  with 
love.  Ah,  how  could  I prove  to  you 
more  clearly  that  I love  you,  than  by 
choosing  for  you  that  which  I myself 
have  borne  ? ” From  tliis  the  saint  took 
(31) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


occasion  to  say  to  her  spiritual  children : 
“Come  what  may,  the  grand  affair  of 
your  life  is  to  cling  to  the  cross ! The 
divine  Savior  was  reft  of  all  consola- 
tion ; he  was  abandoned  in  all  his  suffer- 
ings; let  us  not  abandon  him  like  the 
faithless.” 

The  respect  and  love  which  Teresa 
entertained  for  the  adorable  sacrament  of 
our  altars,  were  worthy  of  one  who 
loved  Jesus  so  fervently,  and  her  words 
are  words  of  fire  whenever  she  speaks  of 
this  august  mystery.  She  yearned  to 
receive  the  holy  Communion,  and  she  tells 
us  that  she  experienced  such  ardent  long- 
ings before  approaching  the  holy  table, 
that  she  would  have  braved  tempests  and 
thunder  and  lightning,  to  go  and  find 
Christ  in  the  most  blessed  Eucharist 
One  Communion,  according  to  her  was 
sufficient  to  enrich  the  soul  with  every 

(32) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

< 

manner  of  grace,  provided  it  was  received 
with  the  due  dispositions. 

In  this  state  of  exile,  we  have  no 
better  means  of  incorp orating  ourselves 
with  Jesus  Christ  than  the  adorable 
Eucharist — by  it  we  may  hope  to  be 
united  to  Him  for  ever  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  No  one  could  describe  the 
fervor  with  which  she  approached  the 
holy  banquet,  or  the  effusion  of  soul 
with  which  she  came  to  receive  her 
Redeemer.  She  besought  the  All-Power- 
ful with  the  most  earnest  prayers  to  stay 
the  torrent  of  iniquity  which  was  inun- 
dating the  earth,  and  to  preserve  the 
universe  from  the  horrible  profanations 
by  which  men  were  insulting  the  Divine 
mercy.  Oh,  how  could  such  a soul  as 
Teresa’s  not  feel  bitter  grief  for  the  schims 
which  were  then  rending  the  church ! 
In  liei  works,  she  has  many  pathetic  pas- 
(33) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

sages  on  this  subject,  accompanied  with 
the  most  ardent  good  wishes  for  the 
person  of  King  Philip  the  Second.  She 
was  wont  to  say,  if  it  were  possible  to 
give  a thousand  lives  for  the  salvation  of 
one  soul,  she  would  have  given  them 
gladly — such  was  her  horror  of  Eternal 
loss. 

After  having  labored  so  many  years 
for  her  own  sanctification,  Teresa  now 
abandoned  herself  entirely  to  laboring  for 
the  sanctification  of  others.  She  con 
sequently  formed  the  project  of  reforming 
her  Order;  the  primitive  rule,  that  es- 
tablished by  Albert,  patriarch  of  Jerusa- 
lem, in  1205,  was  very  austere;  but  lapse 
of  time  had  introduced  relaxations,  and 
Pope  Eugene  IY  had  approved  the 
modifications  that  had  been  made,  by  a 
bull  dated  1431.  Furthermore,  the  con- 
vent of  the  Incarnation  had  adopted  these 
(34) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


changes,  and  there  reigned  in  tills  place 
the  abuse  of  receiving  too  many  visitors 
in  the  parlor.  Teresa  ardently  desired 
to  live  in  a manner  conformable  to  the 
primitive  rule  of  her  Order,  but  it  was  not 
practicable  to  enforce  this  in  a community 
so  unaccustomed  to  it.  Nevertheless,  to 
many  and  most  reasonable  motives  foi 
carrying  it  out,  were  joined  many  argu- 
guments  for  attempting  its  execution. — 
Jesus  Christ  himself  in  many  visions  to 
Teresa  had  ordered  her  to  see  it  enforced, 
and  at  the  same  time  had  promised  hei 
success  in  her  undertaking. 

Whilst  she  was  occupied  witn  those 
thoughts,  God  permitted  that  a certain 
person  should  enter  into  conversation 
with  her  about  founding  a monastery,  it 
some  religious  could  be  found  willing  to 
observe  the  rule  of  the  Order  of  Mount 
Carmel  in  all  its  purity. 

(35) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


Teresa  gladly  adopted  the  proposal, 
and  promised  to  second  this  holy  design 
by  all  the  means  in  her  power.  As  soon  as 
her  rule  was  carried  into  execution  great 
were  the  persecutions  she  had  to  sustain. 
She  was  treated  as  a visionary,  and  mem- 
bers of  her  own  Order  were  not  wanting 
to  thwart  her.  But  Teresa  had  confi- 
dence in  God,  and  the  very  efforts  that 
were  made  to  stay  her,  served  to  hasten 
her  progress  and  success.  Triumphant, 
at  last,  over  all  difficulties,  she  had  the 
consolation  of  seeing  the  first  reformed 
monastery  founded  at  Avila  under  the 
invocation  of  Saint  Joseph,  in  1562. 

God  blessed  this  first  foundation  of  St 
Teresa ; and  the  fervor  that  reigned  in  this 
house  was  often  the  cause  of  admiration 
to  every  one  who  knew  the  holy  found- 
ress. “ Oh,  infinite  goodness  of  my  God ! ” 
would  Teresa  exclaim,  “I  am  filled  with 
(36) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


wonderment  every  time  I think  and  recall 
the  particular  aid  with  which  thy  divine 
Majesty  has  been  pleased  to  honor  me 
in  preparing  this  little  retreat ; for  I am 
intimately  persuaded  that  it  is  all  owing 
to  Him,  and  that  this  is  a place  on  which 
he  looked  complacently  as  he  gave  me 
to  understand  one  day  whilst  I was  pray 
ing.  1 This  house  is  to  me,’  said  He,  1 a 
paradise  of  delights/  It  seems  as  though 
he  had  made  choice  of  these  souls  that 
he  has  attracted  hither,  and  amongst 
which  I feel  confused  at  finding  myself. 
Even  though  the  power  of  choosing  them 
had  been  given  to  me,  I never  could 
have  selected  any  so  fit  for  our  object, 
which  commands  strictest  cloister,  rigid 
poverty,  and  incessant  prayer : they  bear 
all  this  so  cheerfully  and  so  resignedly, 
that  each  of  them  thinks  herself  unworthy 

of  being  received  into  such  a place 

(37) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA 


Oh,  liow  great  is  my  joy  in  being  as* 
sociated  with  souls  so  detached  from  the 
things  of  this  world ! Their  whole  aim  is 
to  advance  in  the  road  of  perfection,  and 
to  prove  themselves  faithful  to  the  vows 
which  they  have  made  to  the  Lord. 
Solitude  is  their  delight,  and  then-  great- 
est punishment  would  be  to  receive  the 
visits  even  of  their  nearest  kindred ; they 
desire  nothing  that  would  serve  to  cool 
their  ardent  love  of  their  God.” 

Teresa  did  not  rest  satisfied  with  this 
single  foundation.  She  founded  reformed 
houses  in  all’  quarters,  and  under 
Divine  Providence  she  was  the  instru- 
ment employed  to  raise  these  blessed 
asylums  where  young  maidens  might 
find  a place  to  lead  a life  of  mortification 
and  prayer. 

Her  zeal  was  not  limited  to  the  refor- 
mation of  the  religious  women  of  hei 
(38) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA 

order,  and  slie  de3ir*d  to  extend  it  to 
tlie  men.  She  felt  all  the  difficulties  of 
this  project,  and  she,  therefore,  had  re- 
course  to  God,  her  ordinary  refuge.  The 
first  amongst  the  men  who  took  the 
habit  and  the  rule  of  the  Eeformed  Order, 
was  Father  John,  who  took  the  name  of 
the  Cross,  and  his  example  was  soon  fol- 
lowed by  very  many  others.  Thig  is  the 
reform  followed  by  the  Discalced  Car- 
melites. 

Notwithstanding  the  opposition  that 
her  institute  experienced,  Teresa  had  the 
consolation  of  seeing,  before  her  death, 
that  it  made  wonderful  progress;  for, 
towards  the  close  of  her  days,  she  could 
reckon  sixteen  convents  of  Carmelites, 
and  fourteen  of  Discalced  Carmelites. 
After  her  death  the  number  of  them  was 
still  more  multiplied. 

At  length,  after  a life  full  of  good  works 
(39) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

and  consumed  in  the  flames  of  holy  love, 
Teresa  longed  for  the  termination  of  her 
captivity,  which  she  knew  was  now  not  far 
off.  Her  lassitude  and  depression  of  health 
becoming  day  by  day  more  extreme,  she 
prepared  herself  for  .the  reception  of  the 
last  sacraments.  From  her  sick  bed  she 
bade  a last  adieu  to  her  community — “ I 
adjure  you,  for  the  love  of  God,”  said 
she  to  the  sisterhood,  “to  observe  punctili- 
ously the  rule  of  our  constitutions. 
Choose  not,  however,  for  your  model  the 
unworthy  sinner  who  is  now  about  to  de- 
part from  amongst  you ; think  rather  of 
pardoning  her.”  The  sisters  wept,  and 
answered  her  with  their  sobs. 

On  seeing  the  Holy  Viaticum  brought 
to  her,  she  raised  herself  up  in  mark  of 
her  respect ; and  not  being  able  to  check 
her  transports  on  beholding  Him  whom 

she  was  going  to  receive  for  the 
(40) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


last  time  on  earth — Him  to  whom 
she  was  soon  to  be  united  eternally — 
she  exclaimed,  u Oh,  my  Lord,  and  my 
Spouse,  the  hour  lias  come  for  which  I 
longed  so  ardently. . .The  moment  of  ipy 
deliverance  has  arrived  ! thy  will  be  done. 
The  hour  when  my  exile  is  to  cease  hath 
dawned,  and  now  my  soul  shall  receive 
the  blessing  and  the  happiness  for  which 
it  has  pined  so  long.” 

Her  fervor  grew  more  and  more  intense 
in  proportion  as  her  bodily  strength 
waxed  weak.  She  repeated  various 
verses  of  the  fiftieth  psalm,  and  above 
all  that  one — “A  contrite  and  humble 
heart,  0 Lord ! thou  wilt  not  despise.” 
She  continued  to  repeat  this  verse  till 
power  of  utterance  failed  her.  Weak 
and  agonized  by  pain  of  body,  Teresa 
leaned  her  head  on  the  aim  of  Sister 
Anne  of  Saint  Bartholomew,  who  had 

(41) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 


been  her  inseparable  companion  in  all 
her  labors  : this  sister  could  not  be  in- 
duced to  leave  the  bed-side  of  the  dying 
Saint.  Teresa  remained  in  this  position, 
her  eyes  fixed  on  the  crucifix,  which  she 
held  in  her  hands,  till  nine  o’clock  at 
night.  She  died  in  the  night  of  the  5th 
of  October,  1582.  Thus  passed  from 
earth  to  heaven  one  of  the  most  sanctified 
souls  that  ever  existed. 

That  night  (the  4th  or  5th  of  October) 
was  memorable  for  the  reform  of  the 
calendar.  Ten  days  were  suppressed, 
and  by  this  suppression  the  day  that 
followed  the  saint’s  death  was  counted 
the  15th  of  October. 

The  saint  lived  to  her  seventy-eighth 
year,  twenty-seven  of  which  she  passed 
in  the  convent  of  the  Incarnation,  and 
other  twenty  in  the  various  convents 
of  the  reformed  Order.  Her  body  is 
(42) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  TERESA. 

preserved  in  the  convent  of  Avila,  and  is 
to  this  day  untouched  by  the  finger  of 
corruption. 

PRAYER. 

Oh ! thou  whose  soul  was  a furnace  of 
divine  love,  ask  for  me  some  sparks  of 
thy  charity.  Ah  ! if  I could  love  as  thou 
hast  loved,  the  greatest  sacrifices  should 
cost  me  no  pain ; I would  be  detached 
from  all  the  things  of  earth,  and  I could 
refuse  my  God  nothing.  St  Teresa, 
pray  for  me ! 


f(!3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  STEPHEN, 

KING  OF  HUNGARY. 


rnllE  o#funtry  now  called  Hungary  once 
formed  a portion  of  the  Roman  Em- 
pire. In  the  third  century,  the  Gotha 
occupied  this  entire  region,  from  which 
they  were  expelled  by  the  Huns  (a.d. 
376),  whose  name,  joined  to  that  of  the 
Avares,  formed  the  word  Hungary.  After 
Attila’s  death,  the  Ostrogoths  and  Lom- 
bards disputed  the  territory  of  Hungary, 
till  the  Avares  got  possession  of  it  in 
the  seventh  century.  In  799,  Charle- 
magne destroyed  the  Avares,  and  then 
the  Magyars,  a people  who  came  from  be- 

m 


THE  LITE  OF  ST.  STEPHEN. 


tween  the  Don  and  the  Dnieper,  entered 
Hungary  about  89b  Christianity  was 
preached  with  indifferent  success  to  this 
fierce  people  till  the  days  of  Geysa,  who, 
with  his  wife  and  nobility,  had  received 
baptism. 

Heaven,  however,  was  pleased  to  make 
Stephen,  son  of  Geysa,  the  instrument 
for  the  conversion  of  Hungary.  King 
Stephen  was  born  in  997.  As  soon  as  he 
had  ascended  the  throne,  he  set  about 
uprooting  idolatry.  He  invited  mission- 
aries to  his  dominions,  and  frequently 
accompanied  them  when  they  went  tc 
preach  against  the  idle  superstitions  of 
his  subjects.  Some  of  them  were  ob- 
stinate enough  to  set  him  at  defiance; 
but,  confiding  in  the  protection  of 
Heaven,  he  made  war  on  the  rebels, 
and  overthrew  them  after  a sanguinary 
conflict. 

[3] 


■ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  STEPHEN. 

After  this  victory,  Stephen  redoubled 
his  exertions  for  the  propagation  of  the 
Gospel.  He  invited  more  missionaries  to 
come  and  civilize  the  Huns,  and  he  took 
care  to  erect  a great  number  of  monaste- 
ries and  churches.  He  sent  the  Bishop 
Anastasius  to  Rome  to  obtain  from  Pope 
Sylvester  II.  the  confirmation  of  the 
various  institutions  he  had  founded  for 
the  glory  of  God.  The  Pope  conferred  on 
Stephen  the  title  of  king,  granted  all  that 
he  demanded,  and  presented  him  with  a 
cross,  which,  by  special  privilege,  was 
always  to  be  carried  at  the  head  of  his 
armies.  Stephen  was  crowned  a.d.  1000 
by  the  bishop  who  brought  him  the  royal 
crown  from  Rome ; and  in  that  memora- 
ble year  he  placed  all  his  dominions  under 
the  protection  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  He 
now  multiplied  churches  throughout  his 
States,  and  on  the  Celian  Mount  at  Rome 
f31 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  STEPHEN. 

he  caused  the  Church  of  St.  Stephen  to  be 
built.  A short  time  after  his  coronation, 
he  married  Gisele,  sister  of  St.  Henry 
Emperor  of  Germany;  and  he  derived 
the  greatest  assistance  from  his  brother-in- 
law  in  suppressing  all  heathen  practices, 
and  such  things  as  were  abhorrent  to  the 
spirit  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Although  frequently  engaged  in  war, 
Stephen  never  was  the  aggressor,  and, 
when  victorious,  he  gave  the  conquered 
all  the  terms  they  required,  on  condition 
that  they  would  allow  Christianity  to  be 
preached  and  protected  in  their  countries. 
Thus  blessed  by  Heaven,  he  had,  never- 
theless, to  bear  many  a severe  trial.  All 
his  children  were  carried  away  from  him 
by  premature  death,  but  this  only  served 
to  detach  him  more  and  more  from  the 
world.  Had  not  the  good  of  the  Church 
required  him  to  act  the  sovereign,  he 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  STEPHEN. 

would  have  taken  the  cowl  and  habit  in 
one  of  the  many  monasteries  that  owed 
their  foundation  to  him.  When  worn 
down  by  infirmities,  four  of  his  chiefest 
nobles  conspired  against  his  life,  and, 
when  the  assassin  entered  his  chamber, 
he  was  seized  with  terror,  and,  instead  of 
doing  the  bloody  deed,  he  cast  himself  at 
the  feet  of  the  prince,  and  obtained  his 
clemency. 

When  the  holy  king  felt  that  his  hour 
was  nigh,  he  assembled  the  nobility,  in 
order  to  make  choice  of  a successor.  He 
spoke  to  them  earnestly  of  obedience  to 
the  Holy  See,  and  of  the  advantages  of 
living  in  the  fear  and  love  of  God’s  com- 
mandments. Then,  after  having  receiv- 
ed all  the  sacraments,  he  expired  August 
25,  1038.  His  sanctity  was  attested  by 
numerous  miracles.  Forty-five  years  after 
his  death,  his  body  was  disinterred  and 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  STEPHEN. 

deposited  in  a magnificent  cliapel  of  the 
Church  of  Our  Lady  at  Buda.  Benedict 
IX.  canonized  him,  and  Innocent  XI.  fixed 
kis  feast  on  the  second  of  September. 


THE  LIFE  OF  SAINT  LOUIS, 

KING-  OF  FRANCE. 


T OUIS  IX.  was  born  April  25,  1215 
He  was  the  son  of  Louis  VIII.,  ana 
of  Blanche,  daughter  of  Alfonso  IX., 
King  of  Castile.  He  was  baptized  in  the 
Castle  of  Poissy,  and  on  that  account 
this  place  was  always  dearest  to  him. 

He  resided  very  much  in  this  castle, 
and,  in  his  familiar  conversations  and  let- 
ters, he  was  accustomed  to  style  himself 
Louis  de  Poissy.  Many  of  the  letters  in 
his  handwriting  are  still  preserved. 

Blanche,  of  Castile,  who  was  singular- 
ly gifted  with  great  piety,  genius,  and 
judgment,  determined  to  take  charge  of 
M 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS 


her  son’s  education.  From  his  very  cra- 
dle she  inspired  him  with  a profound 
respect  and  lively  love  of  virtue.  u] 
love  you,  my  son,”  she  used  often  to  say 
to  him,  a with  all  the  tenderness  of  which 
a mother  is  capable ; but  I would  rather 
see  you  dead  than  committing  a single 
mortal  sin.”  He  never  forgot  those  pre- 
cious words.  At  the  age  of  twelve  years, 
Louis  was  crowned  in  the  church  of 
Rheims.  For  him  this  was  no  empty 
pageant ; on  the  c^ntraiy,  he  regarded  it 
as  a solemn  en<ra cement  into  which  he 
was  entering  to  labor  for  the  good  of  his 
subjects,  and  to  cause  justice  to  flourish. 
He  prepared  himself  by  the  exercises  of 
piety,  and,  on  the  day  of  his  elevation  to 
the  throne,  lie  was  heard  to  repeat  the 
Psalmist’s  words : u Lord,  to  thee  have 
I raised  my  soul ; in  thee  have  I put  my 


m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOJIS. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen,  Louis  married 
Margaret,  the  eldest  daughter  of  the 
Count  of  Provence.  This  princess  excel- 
led her  three  sisters  in  beauty  and  in 
intellect,  but,  above  all,  in  piety.  Thus 
was  the  union  of  those  two  spouses  the 
ima^e  of  the  union  of  Jesus  Christ  with 
his  church ; nor  did  there  ever  come  the 
slightest  cloud  to  trouble  their  repose. 
On  ascending  the  throne,  the  young 
prince  found  the  great  barons  his  vassals 
leagued  against  him  with  the  enemies  of 
France.  In  fact,  the  whole  country  was 
torn  by  revolutions  and  factions,  at  the 
head  of  whom  were  many  princes  of  the 
royal  race.  Louis  thought  to  disarm 
them  by  gentleness;  but,  failing  in  this, 
be  was  obliged  to  employ  force.  Full  of 
confidence  in  the  protection  of  heaven, 
and  the  justice  of  his  cause,  he  vanquish- 
ed at  Taillebourg  the  forces  of  the  Eng 

r«i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

lish  king,  together  with  those  of  the 
Count  de  La  Marche  and  the  rebels  of 
Poitou.  After  the  victory,  he  pardoned 
those  enemies,  or  rather  traitors,  who 
often  attempted  his  life  by  assassination 
and  poison.  The  hero  of  these  grand 
deeds  was  not  yet  fourteen  years  of  age. 

From  his  earliest  years,  Louis’s  wisdom 
was  not  less  brilliant  than  his  bravery. 
Pope  Gregory  the  Ninth,  having  written 
to  him  that  Frederick  the  Second  was 
deposed,  and  that  he  (the  pope)  wished 
Robert,  the  king’s  brother,  should  succeed 
to  the  crown,  Louis  would  not  give  assent 
to  such  a proposition.  “ It  is  quite 
enough,”  said  he,  “ for  this  prince  to  be 
the  brother  of  a King  of  France.”  He 
contented  himself  by  offering  his  media- 
tion between  the  pope  and  the  emperor, 
and  spared  no  pains  to  terminate  their 
disagreements. 

[4] 


T3E  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 


The  most  excellent  of  all  kingly* virtues 
is  justice,  and  no  one  loved  it  more  than 
Louis.  At  a time  when  there  was  no 
other  right  known  save  that  of  force,  he 
had  the  courage  to  make  law  triumph 
over  the  headstrong  violence  and  oppres- 
sion of  his  vassals.  Let  us  record  a strik- 
ing instance  of  this,  which  may  be  termed  i 
the  heroism  of  virtue.  Three  young  ^ 
Flemish  gentlemen,  one  day,  while  hunt- 
ing, pursued  their  game  into  the  forest  of 
Enguerrand,  Count  de  Coucy.  They 
were  arrested  on  the  spot,  and  handed 
over  to  the  count,  who,  without  giving 
them  time  for  explanation  or  preparation 
for  death,  caused  them  to  be  hanged. 
Louis  was  informed  of  this,  and,  bemo* 
greatly  grieved  by  such  barbarity,  he 
ordered  immediate  proceedings  to  be 
taken.  The  crime  having  been  proved, 
Coucy  was  summoned  to  appear  before 
rsj 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

the  ordinary  judges  of  the  king’s  couit. 
He  presented  himself,  but  refused  to  give 
any  reply,  alleging  that  he  could  not  be 
judged  except  by  his  peers.  This  was 
denied  him,  and  he  was  forthwith  cast 
into  the  tower  of  the  Louvre,  where 
he  was  kept  a close  prisoner.  This  act 
of  vigor  astonished  all  the  barons  of 
France,  the  greater  part  of  them  being 
kinsmen  to  the  accused.  In  fact,  they 
now  began  to  tremble  for  his  life.  They 
now  demanded  to  be  allowed  to  sit  in 
judgment  on  him.  Louis  consented,  but 
his  firmness  was  not  to  be  shaken.  For- 
getting the  rank  of  the  accused,  in  order 
to  think  only  of  the  enormity  of  his  crime, 
he  ordered  the  barons  to  record  their 
verdict.  This  order  was  heard  in  pro- 
foundest  silence.  No  one  dared  to  plead 
extenuation  of  the  atrocity ; but  they 
one  and  all  cast  themselves  at  the  mou- 
W 


r 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 


arch’s  feet,  supplicating  mercy.  Coucy 
himself  burst  into  tears,  and  besought 
clemency.  Then,  as  he  no  longer  hoped 
to  obtain  a verdict  from  the  barons,  and 
believing  at  the  same  time  that  he  ought 
not  despise  the  solicitations  of  all  the 
standees  of  his  realm,  the  king  looked 
sternly  at  the  criminal,  and  said,  “En- 
guerrand,  if  I knew  for  certain  that  God 
ordered  me  to  put  you  to  death,  all  France 
aud  all  your  kindred  could  not  keep  me 
from  giving  you  into  the  hands  of  the 
public  executioner.”  Those  words  restor- 
ed calm  to  the  assembly,  who  sought 
only  to  save  Coucy  from  the  halter. 
They  all  then  voted  that  he  should  receive 
exemplary  punishment. 

The  good  king  took  pleasure  in  dispens- 
ing justice  in  person.  In  the  summer 
months,  after  hearing  Mass,  he  would  go 

to  the  wood  of  Vincennes,  and,  seating 
[7] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

himself  under  a great  oak-tree  with  the 
persons  of  his  retinue,  all  people  having 
cause  of  complaint  found  free  access  to 
him,  and  he  righted  all  their  wrongs 
when  well  founded  and  clearly  proved. 
St.  Louis’s  p>iety  was  the  fountain-source 
of  that  justice  for  which  he  was  distin- 
guished above  all  other  princes.  Each 
day  he  consecrated  many  hours  to  reli- 
gious exercises,  and,  when  some  one  said 
that  he  spent  too  much  time  thus,  he 
replied  sweetly,  “ How  strange  is  man ! 
Not  a word  would  be  said  against  me 
if  I employed  as  much  time  in  gam- 
bling, hunting  wild  beasts,  or  snaring 
birds.” 

Louis  VIII.  had  ordered  in  his  will  that 
the  price  of  his  jewels  should  be  devoted 
to  founding  a monastery.  His  son  faith- 
fully executed  his  wishes.  With  the 
money  derived  from  the  sale,  to  which 
rs] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

he  added  a large  sura  of  his  own, 
he  built  the  celebrated  Abbey  of  Roy  an- 
mont.  Frequently,  through  devotion  or 
for  relaxation,  he  would  join  the  workmen 
employed  at  the  building  of  the  church. 
This  place  he  frequently  resorted  to  in 
after-years,  as  a quiet  retreat,  where  he 
could  enjoy  innocent  liberty,  far  from  the 
tumult  of  the  world.  There,  totally  ab- 
sorbed in  God,  he  besought  his  aid  and 
guidance.  Fasting,  prayer,  and  mortifica- 
tions were  his  greatest  delight ; but  the 
good  of  the  kingdom  was  never  impaired 
by  his  love  of  solitude,  and  he  who  seem- 
ed like  an  angel  when  prostrated  before 
the  throne  of  the  Most  High,  and  while 
praying  at  the  altar,  proved  himself  to  be 
an  intrepid  hero  when  at  the  head  of  his 
army.  Piety,  far  from  preventing  him  to 
fulfil  his  duty  as  a sovereign,  enabled  him 
to  discharge  it  in  the  most  admirable 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

manner.  lie  was  a great  king,  because 
be  was  a great  saint.  To  be  convinced  of 
this,  we  have  only  to  cast  our  eyes  on  the 
pious  establishments  which  he  founded, 
and  to  consider  the  immense  amount  of 
his  charities.  The  hospitals  of  Pontoise, 
of  Compi&gne  and  Vernon,  that  of 
Quinze-vingt  at  Paris ; the  Cistercian 
monastery,  the  monasteries  of  the  Domini- 
cans, Franciscans,  and  Carmelites  of  that 
great  city;  that  of  the  Trinitarians  at 
Fontainebleau,  and  the  Abbeys  of  Long- 
champ,  Lys,  and  Maubuisson,  all  acknow- 
ledge St.  Louis  as  their  founder. 

The  great  Hospital  (Hotel  Dieu)  at 
Paris  was  enriched  by  his  pious  liberal- 
ity; and  he  charged  the  administrators 
of  this  house  to  see  that  the  alms  which 
his  predecessors  had  ordered  to  be  distri- 
buted only  during  the  Lent  should  be 
given  out  to  the  poor  during  the  whole 
[10] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

year.  His  charity  was  ingenious  in  pro* 
curing  means  for  the  alleviation  of  a vast 
number  of  poor  and  infirm  people.  Nor 
was  his  charity  confined  to  his  own  king- 
dom. On  more  than  one  occasion,  the 
Christians  of  Palestine,  and  in  general  all 
those  of  the  East,  had  reason  to  bless  him 
for  his  immense  liberality. 

Baudouin,  the  second  Emperor  of  Con- 
stantinople, to  testify  his  respect  for  St. 
Louis,  offered  him  (a.d.  1239)  the  crown 
of  thorns  that  had  pressed  the  divine 
forehead  of  our  Lord.  The  extreme  dis- 
tress to  which  this  emperor  had  been  re- 
duced during  the  siege  of  Constantinople 
forced  him  to  pledge  this  precious  diadem 
to  the  Venetians  for  a sum  of  money. 
When  they  demanded  to  be  reimbursed, 
Louis  accepted  Baudouin’s  offer,  and  fur- 
nished the  sum  necessary  to  redeem  this 
holy  relic  of  our  Lord’s  Passion.  When 
[HI 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS 

he  knew  that  the  Dominicans  who  had 
charge  of  it  were  approaching,  he  went 
fifteen  miles  beyond  Sens,  accompanied 
by  his  court  and  a large  body  of  the 
clergy,  to  meet  it.  At  sight  of  the  holy 
relic,  his  tears  flowed  freely,  so  that  all 
the  witnesses  of  the  scene  were  deeply 
affected.  He  and  his  brother  Robert  now 
carried  the  holy  relic,  walking  barefoot 
into  Sens,  till  they  reached  the  Church  of 
St.  Stephen,  which  was  filled  with  a vast 
concourse.  At  Paris,  he  received  the  pre- 
cious crown  with  the  same  sentiments  of 
veneration,  and  at  last  placed  it  in  his 
private  chapel.  He  afterward  detached 
some  of  the  thorns,  and  presented  them  to 
various  churches. 

Influenced  by  feelings  of  the  liveliest 
piety,  he  enacted  most  severe  laws  against 
usurers  and  blasphemers.  He  obliged 
the  Jews  to  make  restitution  of  the  sums 
[12] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

which  they  had  extorted  by  grinding 
usury ; and  when  the  proper  owners  of 
these  moneys  could  not  be  found,  he 
ordered  them  to  be  applied  to  pious  pur- 
poses. In  an  edict  against  blasphemers, 
he  enacted  that  persons  guilty  of  this 
crime  should  be  branded  on  the  lips  with 
a red  hot-iron.  He  caused  this  law  to  be 
executed  on  one  of  the  principal  inhabi- 
tants of  Paris,  who  had  blasphemed  in 
the  public  street.  By  this  process  he 
wished  to  make  an  example  which  was 
calculated  to  remind  the  culpable  of  the 
cause  which  had  produced  such  direful 
results.  The  people  murmured  against 
this  severity,  and  expressed  themselves  in 
very  injurious  terms;  but  Louis  forbade 
any  proceedings  against  them : u ’Tis  only 
against  me  they  have  spoken,”  was  his 
reply.  u Would  to  God  that,  by  subject- 
ing myself  to  the  same  punishment,  I 
[13] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

could  banisli  blasphemy  from  my  entire 
kingdom ! ” 

Some  time  afterwards,  hearing  the  ac 
clamations  of  the  people  for  some  great 
charities  bestowed  by  him,  he  said:  “I 
hope  that  Heaven  will  recompense  me  for 
all  the  maledictions  bestowed  on  me  by 
the  blasphemers  and  the  apologists  of 
blasphemy.”  Nevertheless,  at  the  request 
of  Pope  Clement  IV.,  he  revoked  this 
law  against  blasphemy.  In  a parliament, 
however,  held  in  1269,  he  pronounced  a 
discourse  on  the  enormity  of  blasphemy, 
and  passed  a law  against  this  crime. 
Thenceforth  all  blasphemers  were  to  be 
punished  either  by  a pecuniary  fine  or  by 
scourging  and  imprisonment,  according  to 
the  character  of  their  guilt,  tkeir  age,  and 
social  position. 

Let  us  now  follow  St.  Louis  into  Pales- 
tine, where  he  will  prove  himself  to  be 

[14] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

truly  great,  and  probably  greater  than  in 
bis  own  kingdom. 

The  countries  of  the  East,  once  so 
flourishing,  had  now  been  turned  into  re- 
gions  of  desolation.  Cruel  and  unsuccess- 
ful wars  had  reduced  the  Christians  to 
the  most  lamentable  condition,  for  they 
all  groaned  under  the  yoke  of  Turkish 
bondage.  Louis  resolved,  if  possible,  to 
relieve  them,  and  after  a long  illness, 
from  which  he  recovered  by  a miracle,  he 
and  a great  number  of  his  nobility  took 
the  cross.  Before  leaving  France,  he  de- 
termined  to  see  that  none  of  his  subiects 
should  have  any  cause  of  complaint 
against  their  king.  He  therefore  sent 
commissioners  through  the  whole  king- 
dom to  learn  if  he  had  done  injury,  or  if 
wrong  had  been  done  to  any  one  in  his 
name.  A short  while  afterwards,  he 
secretly  charged  some  holy  ecclesiastics 
[151 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUI3. 

and  good  religious  tc  go  and  take  the 
same  informations,  in  order  to  ascertain 
if  those  on  whom  he  relied  in  the  first  in- 
stance had  been  themselves  corrupted. 
There  were  very  few  reclamations,  and 
those  who  had  been  wronged  were  amply 
indemnified. 

At  length,  when  everything  was  pre- 
pared for  the  embarkation  of  the  troops, 
Sfc.  Louis  went  to  implore  the  protection 
of  the  holy  martyrs  at  St.  Denis,  and  to 
receive  the  banner  of  the  Crusaders  in 
that  celebrated  monastery.  Blanche,  who 
was  now  declared  regent  of  the  kingdom, 
took  a most  tender  farewell  of  her  son, 
saying  that  they  should  never  see  each 
other  again,  save  in  heaven.  As  to  Queen 
Margaret,  she  would  fain  go  along  with 
her  husband.  Louis  now  proceeded  to- 
wards Provence,  and  embarked  at  Aigue* 
tnortes  August  25,  1248. 

[16j 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

We  will  not  narrate  here  the  various 
vicissitudes  of  this  war  of  the  Crusades ; 
if  God  permitted  the  Christian  army  to 
be  conquered,  it  was  owing  to  the 
scandals  by  which  the  Christians  them- 
selves outraged  the  standard  of  the  cross ; 
but  Louis  was  great  throughout  the  whole 
struggle.  When  a victor,  he  carried  the 
towns  of  Joppe,  Cesarea,  Philippis,  and 
Sidon  by  assault,  only  to  reconstruct 
them,  enrich  them,  and  civilize  them,  for 
he  deemed  it  unworthy  of  him  to  triumph 
over  ruins. 

Meanwhile,  in  consequence  of  the 
engagements  that  took  place  between  the 
two  armies  in  Egypt,  the  waters  of  the 
Nile  were  infected  by  the  number  of  dead 
bodies  flung  into  that  great  river.  Hence 
the  fearful  plague  that  soon  manifested 
itself  in  the  Christian  camp,  and,  as  it 
were  to  heighten  all  their  sufferings, 
[17] 


Q 


TILE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

pestilence  was  seconded  by  famine.  This 
terrible  visitation  did  not  dishearten 
Louis.  He  provided  for  every  contin- 
gency— visited  the  sick,  addressed  words 
of  consolation  to  them,  and  provided  for 
their  souls,  when  it  was  not  in  his  power 
to  alleviate  their  bodily  sufferings.  One 
of  his  old  servants,  being  on  the  point  of 
death,  said  to  William  de  Chartries,  who 
exhorted  him  to  support  his  pains  with 
resignation,  and  to  submit  himself  to  the 
divine  will:  “I  would  wish  to  see  my 
holy  master,  for  I would  not  like  to  die 
without  the  happiness  of  looking  at  him.” 
Louis  came  to  him  immediately,  and 
spoke  to  him  with  his  habitual  tenderness, 
so  that  this  pious  servant  expired  in  senti- 
ments of  perfect  resignation. 

The  holy  king  was  soon  struck  by  the 
fearful  malady  that  was  hourly  thinning 
the  ranks  of  his  army.  In  this  extremity, 
[18] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

some  one  proposed  to  him  to  make  a truce 
with  the  Turks,  but  they  would  not 
conclude  it.  They  demanded  the  person 
of  the  king  as  a hostage ; and  the  French 
replied  that  they  would  suffer  themselves 
to  be  butchered  rather  than  surrender 
him.  Hostilities  were  therefore  continu- 
ed, and  the  Turks  had  little  difficulty  in 
beating  the  remnant  of  an  army  which 
had  been  decimated  by  the  plague.  They 
slew  a great  number  of  the  unfortunate 
Christians,  and  made  prisoners  of  the 
survivors.  Amongst  the  latter  were  St. 
Louis  and  his  two  brothers ; they  were 
taken  to  Massoura,  where  they  were 
thrown  into  prison,  with  the  exception 
of  the  king,  who  was  allowed  to  live 
under  a tent.  Although  reduced  to  the 
saddest  state,  the  holy  king,  now  sick  and 
captive,  never  interrupted  his  pious  exer- 
cises, and  never  for  a moment  lost  his 
[191 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

confidence  in  God.  A profound  calm 
reigned  in  his  soul,  and  a sweet  serenity 
shone  on  his  features.  The  barbarians 
themselves  were  astonished  at  this,  so 
much  so  that  they  avowed,  says  the 
historian  Joinville,  “ that  he  was  the 
most  dauntless  Christian  they  had  ever 
seen.”  How  can  any  one  assert  after 
this  that  piety  makes  men  cowards  ? 

Notwithstanding  the  general  conster- 
nation, the  inhabitants  of  Damietta  pre- 
pared to  make  vigorous  resistance  against 
the  enemy.  The  Turks,  despairing  of 
being  able  to  vanquish  them,  opened  ne 
gotiations.  They  demanded  to  be  put  in 
possession  of  all  the  places  that  the 
French  occupied  in  Palestine.  Louis  re- 
plied that  many  of  these  places  were  in- 
dependent of  him,  and  that  he  could  not 
dispose  of  them.  The  sultan,  Almoadan, 
strove  to  intimidate  him  by  a threat  of 
[20] 


J L 

T 


THE  LIKE  OF  ST.  LOUIS* 

torture,  and  Louis  replied,  u I am  the 
sultan’s  prisoner:  he  can  dispose  of  me  as 
he  pleases.”  Almoadan,  finding  that 
menaces  could  not  shake  such  a soul,  com 
tented  himself  with  asking,  besides 
Damietta,  a million  gold  pieces  for  ran- 
som of  the  king  and  the  other  prisoners. 
Louis  answered  u that  a King  of  France 
was  one  who  would  not  ransom  himself  by 
any  advances  of  money;  but  that  he 
would  surrender  the  city  for  his  person, 
and  pay  a million  gold  pieces  for  the  ran- 
som of  his  people.”  Such  greatness  of 
soul  so  well  sustained  produced  the  live- 
liest impression  on  the  fierce  sultan.  He 
sent  word  to  the  king  that  he  would 
forgive  him  for  two  hundred  thousand 
gold  pieces. 

Soon  afterwards,  the  truce  was  conclu- 
ded for  ten  years,  on  conditions  far  less 
severe  than  the  French  had  anticipated, 

fail 

4 - — L 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

and  they  were  now  about  to  execute  the 
treaty.  But  as  they  were  on  the  point 
of  signing  it,  Almoadan  was  murdered  by 
his  body-guard.  One  of  them  ripped  out 
his  heart,  and,  rushing  into  the  king’s  tent 
with  his  hands  dripping  with  blood,  said, 
“ What  hast  thou  to  give  me  for  having 
slain  thy  enemy,  who  would  have  killed 
thee  had  he  lived?”  Louis,  seized  with 
horror,  did  not  deign  him  an  answer. 
Then  this  barbarian,  turning  the  point  of 
his  sword  on  him,  said,  u Choose  either  to 
die  this  very  moment,  or  to  give  me  the 
order  of  knighthood.”  “ Become  a Chris- 
tian,” replied  the  intrepid  monarch,  u and  I 
will  make  thee  a knight.”  This  firmness 
disconcerted  the  barbarian,  who  departed 
without  executing  his  threat. 

He  had  scarcely  gone  out,  when  the 
assassins  of  the  sultan  entered  in  a crowd, 
brandishing  their  swords,  still  reeking 


jp — . 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

with  the  blood  of  their  master.  Louis 
looked  on  them  immovably,  and  his  coun- 
tenance inspired  them  with  respect.  They 
prostrated  themselves  before  him,  and 
asked  him  to  sign  the  treaty ; nay,  more, 
they  discussed  amongst  themselves  the 
expediency  of  making  him  their  sultan. 
But  they  feared  that  a prince  so  firm  in 
his  religion  would  destroy  their  mosques. 
This  prevented  them  from  making  the 
proposal. 

The  articles  already  signed  were  now 
ratified  once  more ; and  nothing  was 
wanting  but  the  oath  to  secure  the  ob- 
servance  of  them.  The  Turks  proposed 
an  oath  which  the  king  would  not  take, 
on  account  of  the  horrible  imprecations 
with  which  it  was  filled ; and  the  whole 
negotiation  was  therefore  about  to  be 
withdrawn.  Louis,  for  a moment,  thought 

that  he  and  all  his  people  were  about  to 
[23] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 


be  put  to  the  sword.  “ God  forbid,”  said 
he,  “ that  under  any  circumstances  such 
words  could  come  from  the  lips  of  a King 
of  France.”  Then  turning  to  the  Turks 
wrho  had  been  commissioned  to  receive 
the  oath,  “ Go  tell  your  masters,”  said  he, 
“ that  I prefer  to  die  like  a good  Christian, 
rather  than  live  after  having  displeased 
God,  his  holy  Mother,  and  the  saints.” 

The  Turks  now  came  back  to  his  tent, 
sword  in  hand,  determined  either  to  exact 
the  oath  or  to  put  him  to  death.  Louis 
replied  coldly  that  God  Lad  made  them 
masters  of  his  body,  but  that  his  soul 
was  beyond  their  reach,  and  that  they 
could  do  it  no  injury.  They  could  not 
shake  him,  and  he  persisted  in  refusing  an 
oath  that  he  regarded  as  a blasphemy. 

They  did  not  insist  further,  but,  being 
very  anxious  for  the  money  which  the 
King  of  France  had  promised  to  pay 
[24] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 


them,  they  set  him  and  all  his  fellow- 
prisoners  at  liberty.  The  king  trans- 
mitted to  them,  with  his  ordinary  fidelity, 
the  sum  for  which  he  had  agreed ; and 
when  the  Count  de  Montfort,  who  was 
accredited  to  pay  the  Turks,  told  him 
that  there  was  a deficiency  of  twenty 
thousand  pieces  of  which  the  Turks  had 
no  notion,  “ the  king,”  says  Joinville, 
u rebuked  him  severely,  and  sent  him,  at 
the  risk  of  his  life,  to  pay  the  sum  that 
remained  due.” 

Louis,  having  quitted  Egypt,  according 
to  the  treaty  with  the  Turks,  proceeded 
into  Palestine,  where  he  remained  for 
some  time  relieving  the  unfortunate 
Christians.  Many  of  his  knights  left  him 
to  return  to  France.  As  for  himself,  no- 
thing could  induce  him  to  leave  with  them 
as  long  as  he  thought  his  presence  might 
be  useful  in  these  holy  places. 

L25] 


THE  LIFE  OE  ST.  LOUIS. 

He  continued  hostilities  for  a brief 
period,  and  meanwhile  the  death  of  Queen 
Blanche  was  made  known  to  him.  His 
first  movement  on  hearing  this  dolorous 
news  was  to  shed  copious  tears;  but, 
soon  recovering,  he  knelt  before  him  who 
disposes  of  our  days,  and  humbly  said, 
“ My  God,  I thank  thee  for  having  pre- 
served for  my  sake,  up  to  the  present 
moment,  a mother  so  worthy  of  all  my 
affections.  She  was  the  gift  of  thy 
mercy;  thou  now  takesther  as  thine  own, 
and  I have  no  right  to  murmur.  ’Tis 
true  that  I loved  her  tenderly ; but,  since 
it  has  pleased  thee  to  take  her,  may  thy 
holy  name  be  glorified  for  ever  and  ever  !” 
Such  was  the  resignation  of  this  pious 
monarch.  Must  not  every  one  admire 
such  virtues,  and  bless  the  religion  that 
could  inspire  them  ? 

Louis,  seeing  that  the  death  of  his 
[261 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

mother  deprived  his  kingdom  of  the  sage 
administration  which  it  had  enjoyed  up 
to  that  moment,  resolved  now  to  return 
to  France.  He  embarked  at  St.  Jean 
d’Acre  in  the  midst  of  a crowd  of  Chris- 
tians who  had  assembled  from  all  j^arts 
of  Palestine  to  look  once  more  on  him 
whom  they  called  their  Father.  Louis 
took  leave  of  them  tenderly,  expressing 
at  the  same  time  his  deep  regret  at  not 
having  been  able  to  do  all  he  wished  for 
them.  He  now  set  sail  for  the  isle  of 
Cyprus.  During  the  voyage,  the  holy 
king  was  constantly  engaged  in  prayer, 
tending  the  sick,  and  instructing  the 
sailors.  His  good  example  produced  the 
happiest  results.  In  the  king’s  vessel, 
God  was  the  theme  of  every  one’s  con- 
versation. After  a dangerous  voyage, 
during  which  Louis’s  prayers  saved  the 
crew  from  certain  death,  they  at  last 
[27] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 


reached  Cyprus.  Thence  they  put  to 
sea  again,  and  made  for  the  islands  of 
Hieres,  in  Provence.  The  king’s  health 
was  so  feeble  that  he  could  not  leave  the 
ship.  His  faithful  friend  Joinville  had  to 
take  him  in  his  arms,  and  carry  him  to  the 
shore.  When  everything  had  been  made 
ready  for  his  departure,  he  traversed  the 
kingdom,  leaving  everywhere  traces  of 
his  liberality,  and  at  length  reached  the 
Castle  of  Vincennes,  September  5,  1254. 
His  first  care  was  now  to  proceed  to  the 
Church  of  St.  Denis,  where  he  thanked  God 
for  all  his  mercies,  and  made  splendid  offer- 
ings to  the  monastery.  Some  days  after- 
wards, he  made  his  public  entry  into  Paris 
in  the  midst  of  the  acclamations  of  his  peo- 
ple, who  were  never  tired  of  seeing  him. 
He  devoted  many  wTeeks  to  examining  the 
condition  of  his  subjects,  and  then  in  right 
earnest  set  about  laboring  for  their  ameli- 
[28] 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

jration.  In  order  to  see  everything  with 
his  own  eyes,  he  made  a visitation  of  the 
various  provinces,  reforming  abuses  and 
remedying  evils  where  remedy  was  re- 
quired. After  having  conferred  all  these 
blessings  on  France,  he  once  more  turned 
his  attention  to  the  unhappy  Christians 
dwelling  in  Palestine,  on  whose  necks  the 
Turks  were  now  imposing  a more  cruel 
yoke  than  at  any  former  period. 

He  therefore  assembled  at  Paris  all  the 
great  ones  of  his  realm  to  deliberate  on 
this  important  affair.  As  soon  as  they 
all  had  met,  he  appeared  in  the  midst  of 
them,  holding  in  his  hand  the  Crown  of 
Thorns.  He  harangued  the  assemblage 
with  that  sweet  and  majestic  eloquence  so 
natural  to  him.  The  picture  that  he  gave 
of  the  state  to  which  the  Christians  had 
been  reduced  in  Palestine,  and  the  zeal  he 
manifested  for  their  deliverance,  inriamed 

T29] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

every  heart,  and  those  who  were  opposed 
to  the  Crusade  were  won  over  to  his  views, 
and  now  hastened  to  take  the  Cross.  The 
result  of  this  assembly  was  scarcely  known, 
when  multitudes  of  the  nobility  came 
hastening  to  the  standard  of  their  king 
from  the  country  and  the  towns.  Immense 
preparations  were  now  set  on  foot,  and 
the  departure  of  the  Crusaders  was  fixed 
for  the  year  1270.  But  as  the  king’s 
health  was  every  day  growing  more  fee- 
ble, he  thought  himself  bound  to  make 
his  last  will  before  embarking.  He  made 
provision  for  the  four  sons  who  remained 
to  him,  and  bestowed  dowries  on  such  of 
his  daughters  as  were  not  yet  married  ; 
he  likewise  gave  a dowry  to  Queen  Mar- 
garet, and  plenteous  alms  to  the  various 
hospitals  and  monasteries  of  his  kingdom. 
He  gave  dowries  to  poor  young  girls, 
clothing  to  the  indigent,  and  to  the  stu- 
[30] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

dents  who  were  in  need  the  means  neces- 
sary to  defray  the  cost  of  their  education 
— widows,  orphans,  and  churches  all  ex- 
perienced the  benefits  of  his  royal  bounty. 
His  paternal  heart  embraced  all  classes 
of  his  people,  and  yearned  to  relieve  all 
who  were  in  want.  Like  a good  master 
and  a good  king,  he  amply  remunerated 
all  the  people  of  his  household.  The  re- 
gency of  the  kingdom  was  now  to  be  pro- 
vided for.  He  therefore  confided  it  to 
two  of  the  wisest  personages  of  the  time 
— Matthew,  Abbot  of  St.  Denis,  and  Si- 
mon de  Clement,  Count  of  Nesle. 

After  having  arranged  everything,  and 
after  having  prepared  himself  by  two  spi- 
ritual retreats  in  the  monastery  of  Mau- 
buisson,  he  went  to  St.  Denis  to  receive 
the  oriflamme  (the  standard  of  the  Crusa- 
ders). On  the  next  day,  he  went  barefoot 
to  the  palace  of  Notre  Dame,  followed  by 
[311 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

the  princes  his  sons  and  a vast  multitude 
of  the  nobility.  He  then  set  out  for  Vin- 
cennes, where  he  took  leave  of  the  queen. 

The  general  rendezvous  of  the  Crusa- 
ders was  at  Aiguemortes.  Louis  arrived 
there  a short  while  after  the  Easter  of 
the  year  1270.  It  was  now  resolved  to 
commence  the  war  in  Africa.  The  King 
of  Tunis,  who  for  some  time  had  been 
holding  secret  correspondence  with  Louis, 
gave  him  every  reason  to  hope  that  he 
would  become  a Christian ; Louis  could 
not  contain  his  joy  at  learning  this,  and 
he  one  day  said  to  the  ambassadors  of 
the  African  king  : “ Go,  tell  your  master 
that  I long  ardently  for  his  conversion, 
and  that  I would  gladly  pass  the  remain- 
der of  my  days  in  chains,  if  by  doing  so  1 
could  obtain  from  Heaven  the  grace  of 
baptism  for  him  and  his  subjects.” 

The  Crusaders  landed  on  the  shores  of 
[33] 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST  LOUIS. 

Tunis.  The  Saracens  opposed  them,  but 
their  resistance  was  futile,  and  they  were 
obliged  to  retreat  to  their  mountains. 
Then  the  king’s  almoner  took  possession 
of  the  country  in  this  manner : “ I pro- 
claim you  the  property  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  of  the  King  of  France,  his 
sergeant” — that  is  to  say,  his  servant. 
They  then  pitched  their  camp.  Having 
seized  a fortress  built  near  the  ruins  of 
ancient  Carthage,  they  set  about  besieg- 
ing Tunis ; for  the  king  was  soon  disa- 
bused of  the  idea  he  had  formed  of  con- 
verting the  African.  There  was  nothing 
now  wanting  to  push  the  siege  except 
the  presence  of  the  King  of  Sicily : but 
pestilence  manifested  itself  in  the  army, 
half  of  which  perished  in  a very  short 
time.  One  of  the  sons  of  Louis,  the  Count 
de  Nevers,  sur named  Tristan,  a prince 

worthy  of  such  a father,  died  at  the  out- 
[33] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 

break  of  the  plague.  The  king  himself 
was  attacked  a short  time  afterwards. 
He  knew  from  the  first  moment  that  his 
malady  was  incurable,  and  he  gave  his 
orders  in  consequence.  He  bade  farewell 
to  Prince  Philip,  and  addressed  some  in- 
structions to  him,  a specimen  of  which 
we  record  here:  “The  first  thing  I 
would  impress  on  you  is  to  love  God 
with  all  your  heart ; for  without  that  no 
man  can  be  saved.  Take  heed  that  you 
do  nothing  to  displease  him.  You  should 
rather  die  a thousand  deaths  than  com- 
mit a single  mortal  sin.  Should  God 
send  you  adversity,  accept  it  benignly, 
and  thank  him.  If  he  send  you  prosper- 
ity, thank  him  humbly,  and  take  care 
that  you  be  not  borne  away  by  pride ; 
for  we  should  not  make  war  against  God 
with  the  gifts  he  sends  us. 

“Do  justice  to  every  one — to  the  pool 

T341 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS 


as  well  as  to  tlie  rich.  To  thy  servants 
be  loyal,  that  they  may  love  yon  as  their 
master.  I beseech  you,  my  child,  that, 
when  I have  passed  away,  you  be  mind* 
fill  of  me  and  of  my  poor  soul.  Aid  me 
by  Masses,  and  prayers,  and  almsgiving 
throughout  the  whole  kingdom. 

“ And  I give  you  all  the  benediction 
that  a father  can  give  his  child,  beseech- 
ing the  Holy  Trinity  of  paradise,  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  to  guard  and  pro- 
tect you  from  all  evil,  that  we  may  final- 
ly meet,  after  this  mortal  life,  in  the 
presence  of  God,  and  there  praise  him 
for  ever  and  ever.” 

As  his  malady  increased,  Louis  de- 
manded Extreme  Unction.  He  joined 
m the  prayers  of  the  agonizing  with  the 
same  firmness  that  he  was  wont  to  show 
when  giving  orders  on  the  field  of 
battle.  He  knelt  beside  his  camp 
[35] 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 


bed  to  receive  the  lioly  Viaticum,  but 
his  courtiers  were  obliged  to  support 
this  new  St.  Jerome  at  his  last  com- 
munion. From  that  moment  he  concerned 
himself  no  more  about  the  things  of  this 
world,  for  he  was  conscious  of  having  act- 
ed faithfully  to  his  subjects.  Surely  no 
monarch  ever  discharged  his  duty  more 
fully  or  in  a manner  more  praiseworthy. 
His  charity  was  now  extended  to  all  man- 
kind : he  prayed  for  the  very  infklels,  and 
invoked  the  holy  patrons  of  France,  so 
dear  to  his  royal  soul.  On  the  morning 
of  Monday,  August  25,  he  felt  that  his 
last  hour  was  nigh.  He  now  caused  his 
servants  to  lay  him  down  on  the  floor, 
which  was  strewn  with  ashes.  There  lie 
remained  with  his  arms  crossed  on  his 
breast  and  his  eyes  raised  to  heaven.  At 
last,  about  three  hours  after  mid-day,  hf 
heaved  a heavy  sigh,  and  expired. 

" f3«l 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  MATILDA. 


MATILDA  was  daughter  of  Thierri,  a 
petty  prince  of  considerable  importance  in 
Saxony.  Brought  up  in  the  cloister  under 
the  eyes  of  her  aunt,  abbess  of  Enford, 
she  at  an  early  period  tasted  all  the  sweet- 
ness of  prayer  and  penance. 

Matilda  grew  up  in  the  cloister,  and 
gladly  would  she  have  spent  her  whole 
life  there,  had  it  not  pleased  Providence 
to  ordain  otherwise.  She  was  tom  from 
her  retreat,  and  married  to  Henry,  son  of 
Otlio,  Duke  of  Saxony.  Three  years 
after  this  marriage,  Henry,  having  lost  his 

father,  succeeded  to  his  title,  and  four 
(44) 


THB  LIFE  OF  ST.  MATILDA. 

years  after  this  event,  he  succeeded  Con  rad, 
King  of  Germany. 

Henry  proved  to  Matilda  that  she  had 
found  in  him  an  excellent  spouse.  His 
piety  and  courage  won  him  the  respect  of 
his  subjects,  who  looked  on  him  as  a father. 
He  was  engaged  in  war  against  the  Hum 
garians  and  Danes,  and  whilst  her  husband 
was  in  the  camps,  Matilda  devoted  herself 
to  exercises  of  piety,  visiting  the  sick  and 
consoling  the  afflicted. 

Meanwhile  death  arrested  Henry’s 
career.  He  died  of  apoplexy,  after  hav- 
ing reigned  seventeen  years.  Matilda 
resigned  herself  to  God’s  will,  and,  after 
assisting  at  the  Holy  Sacrifice  offered  for 
the  repose  of  his  soul,  she  divested  herself 
of  all  her  sumptuous  ornaments,  and  laid 
them  down  on  the  altar  of  the  Most  High 
She  was  the  mother  of  three  children, 
Otho,  Henry,  and  Bruno;  the  former,  who 
145) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MATILDA. 

succeeded  his  father,  was  crowned  em- 
peror  at  Rome  in  962.  Henry  was  Duke 
of  Bavaria,  and  Bruno  became  Archbishop 
of  Cologne 

Many  and  terrible  were  the  conflicts 
that  preceded  Otho’s  coronation.  The 
crown  being  elective,  Henry  disputed  it, 
and  Matilda,  urged  by  an  unjustifiable 
predilection,  declared  in  favor  of  the  lat- 
ter. This  conduct  of  the  queen-mother 
kindled  discord  between  the  two  brothers. 
Matilda  had  committed  a great  error,  but 
God  made  her  atone  for  it,  by  the  serious 
trials  He  sent  to  her.  Her  two  sons,  Otho 
and  Henry,  leagued  against  her,  and 
stripped  her  of  her  dowry,  alleging  that 
she  had  impoverished  the  state  by  her 
alms-giving. 

Matilda  submitted,  without  murmuring, 
to  the  decrees  of  Providence,  and  patient- 
ly bore  the  injuries  inflicted  on  her  by 
(46) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MATILDA 

her  own  children.  The  persecution  was 
long  and  cruel.  At  length  the  two  sons 
grew  ashamed  of  themselves,  became  re- 
conciled to  them  mother,  and  restored  the 
dowry  to  her. 

Once  more  possessed  of  her  property, 
she  devoted  it  all  to  the  poor.  She  found- 
ed five  monasteries  and  many  churches, 
and  she  frequently  resorted  to  them  all  to 
hold  sweet  communion  with  her  God. 
Thither,  likewise,  came  vast  mtiltitudes 
of  rich  and  poor,  to  be  instructed  in  all 
the  practical  duties  of  a Christian’s  life. 

Matilda  was  surprised  by  death  in  the 
midst  of  those  holy  occupations.  She  was 
then  in  the  monastery  of  Quedlinbourg. 
In  the  presence  of  the  whole  community 
she  made  a public  confession  of  her  sins, 
and,  stretched  upon  ashes,  she  received 
the  last  sacraments  from  the  hands  of 
William,  Archbishop  cf  Mayence,  who 
(}  T) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  MATILDA. 

was  her  nephew.  She  died  March  14, 
968. 

Happy  is  she  who,  like  St.  Matilda, 
despises  the  transitory  glories  and  pleas- 
ures of  this  life  for  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Oh,  truly  happy  is  she  who  sets  the  right 
value  on  the  fallacious  joys  of  this  world, 
and  tramples  on  them  all,  for  purity  of 
heart,  charity,  love  of  penance,  and  good 
works,  which  makes  a diadem  for  a Chria- 
tian’s  head. 


m 


THE  LIFE 


OF 

SAINT  DYM PNA 

VIRGIN  AND  MARTYR. 


In  the  seventh  century  there  lived  a 
holy  maiden  named  Dympna,  who  at  the 
earliest  dawning  of  reason,  vowed  that 
she  would  consecrate  herself  entirely  to 
God.  She  was  of  royal  lineage,  excelling 
all  her  compeers  in  the  comeliness  of  her 
person,  and  highly  educated  as  became 
her  exalted  position. 

On  the  decease  of  her  mother,  her  fa- 
ther who  was  a pagan,  so  shocked  the 
sensitiveness  of  this  Christian  maiden  by 
his  brutality,  that  she  resolved  to  leave 
(3) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  DYMPNAM. 


home  and  kindred  for  some  quiet  retreat 
where  she  might  be  at  liberty  to  serve 
God  according  to  the  dictates  of  her  re- 
ligion and  conscience.  A priest  named 
Genebrard,  who  had  baptized  Dympna, 
counselled  her  to  fly  from  Ireland,  and 
she  accordingly  fled  to  Antwerp,  and 
thence  to  the  village  of  Gheel,  in  Bra- 
bant, ten  leagues  distant  from  Antwerp. 
Genebrard  accompanied  her  in  her  flight, 
and  had  the  blessedness  of  sharing  the  glo- 
ries of  her  martyrdom.  Here  they  found 
all  they  desired,  a safe  refuge  from  the 
king’s*  viciousness,  and  a secluded  spot 
not  far  from  the  church  of  St.  Martin, 
where  they  held  uninterrupted  com- 
munion with  their  God.  They  passed 
their  time  in  fasting  and  prayer,  and  the 
priest  Genebrard  daily  repaired  to  the 
church  of  St.  Martin  to  celebrate  the 
holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 

(4) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  DYMPNA. 

The  king,  meanwhile,  infuriated  by 
the  escape  of  his  daughter,  determined  to 
go  in  pursuit  of  her.  Having  vainly 
sought  her  in  Ireland,  he  embarked  for 
Antwerp,  and  there  discovered  that 
Dympna  lay  concealed  in  the  neighbor- 
hood Having  come  to  the  place,  the 
king  solicited  his  daughter  to  return 
with  him  to  Ireland;  but  Genebrard 
knowing  his  iniquitous  designs,  exhorted 
the  holy  virgin  to  give  a deaf  ear  to  his 
wicked  importunities.  The  king  and  his 
followers  then  fell  on  Genebrard,  and 
slew  him  with  their  swords.  Thus  did 
the  holy  priest  receive  the  crown  of 
martyrdom  at  the  hands  of  the  pagan 
king. 

The  monarch  now  renewed  liis 
expostulations  with  Dympna,  earnestly 
imploring  her  to  quit  the  land  of  the 
strangers  for  her  own  home,  where  he 
(5) 


jL. 


H » a -—■■■  ■■ ! --a 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  DYMPNA. 

promised  that  she  should  enjoy  that 
regal  state  to  ^vhich  she  was  entitled. 

But  Dympna,  aided  by  God’s  grace, 
withstood  the  seductive  lives  of  the 
tempter,  and  reproached  him  with  the 
cold-blooded  murder  of  Genebrard,  her 
protector  and  spiritual  guide.  Blinded 
by  rage,  and  forgetting  all  the  instincts 
of  the  paternal  heart,  the  infuriated  king 
commanded  his  attendants  to  kill  his 
daughter.  None  of  them,  however, 
daring  to  imbrue  them  hands  in  her  blood, 
he  himself  unsheathed  his  sword  and 
smote  the  faithful  virgin  dead  at  his  feet 
The  king  then  left  the  bodies  of  Dymp- 
na  and  Genebrard  a prey  to  the  birds 
of  the  air,  till  the  clergy  and  people  as- 
sembled to  give  them  honorable  sepul- 
ture. Numerous  miracles  wrought  at  the 
tombs  of  the  holy  martyrs,  bore  testimony 
*o  the  sanctity  of  Dympna  and  Gene- 
(6) 

-*L 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  DYMPNA. 

brard  who  have  ever  since  been  piously 
venerated  by  the  inhabitants  of  Brabant 
Their  relics  are  now  preserved  in  a rich 
shrine  at  Gheel,  having  been  translated 
by  the  bishop  of  Cambray  on  the  15th 
of  May. 

The  martyrdom  of  Dympna  and  Gene- 
brard  occurred  in  the  year  of  our  Lord, 
GOO,  and  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  Dymp- 
na’s  age. 

The  tomb  of  St.  Dympna  became  a 
pilgrimage,  and  a church  was  soon  erected 
in  her  honor  around  which  grew  up  the 
town  of  Gheel.  Her  shrine  was  visited 
daily,  and  it  was  chiefly  the  insane  and 
idiotic  who  sought  the  protection  and 
intercession  of  Saint  Dympna ; while  her 
relics  are  preserved  in  a costly  silver 
chase  given  by  a Dutch  family,  one  of 
whose  members  was  restored  to  health 
after  a novena  at  her  shrine. 

(7) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  DYMPNA. 

The  family  of  de  Merode  have  also,  in 
gratitude  for  the  favors  received,  been 
great  benefactors  of  the  Church. 

To  this  day  the  Church  of  St.  Dympna 
is  the  resource  of  the  insane ; and  the 
treatment  of  those  bereft  of  reason,  at 
Gheel,  has  made  it  a source  of  wonder 
throughout  the  world. 

This  noble  Irish  Virgin  will  not  turn 
a deaf  ear  to  the  prayers  of  those  families 
similarly  afflicted,  who  appeal  to  her  from 
any  quarter  of  the  globe. 

PRAYER. 

Oh  God ! thou  lover  of  purity,  grant 
that  we  who  invoke  the  intercession  of 
Thy  holy  martyr  Dympna,  may  obtain 
the  assistance  of  her  merits  and  suffrages 
through  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 


(8) 

— A L 


* - 


THE  LIFE  OF  HENRY  II. 


EMPEROR. 


HENRY,  surnamed  the  Pious 


^ and  the  Lame,  was  son  of  Henry, 
Duke  of  Bavaria,  and  of  Gisella,  daughter 
of  Conrad,  King  of  Burgundy,  and  was 
born  in  972.  He  was  descended  from 
Henry,  Duke  of  Bavaria,  son  of  the  Em- 
peror Henry  the  Fowler,  and  brother  of 
Otho  the  Great,  consequently  our  Saint 
was  near  akin  to  the  three  first  emperors 
who  bore  the  name  of  Otho.  St.  Wolf- 
gang, the  Bishop  of  Ratisbon,  being  a 
prelate,  the  most  eminent  in  all  Germany 
for  learning,  piety,  and  zeal,  our  young 
prince  was  put  under  his  tuition,  and  by 


THE  LIFE  OF  HENKY  II. 

Lis  excellent  instructions  and  examples 
he  made  from  his  infancy  wonderful  pro- 
gress in  learning  and  in  the  most  perfect 
practice  of  Christian  virtue.  The  death 
of  his  dear  master  and  spiritual  guide, 
which  happened  in  994,  was  to  him  a 
most  sensible  affliction.  In  the  following 
year,  he  succeeded  his  father  in  the  duchy 
of  Bavaria,  and  in  1002,  upon  the  death 
of  his  cousin  Otho  III.,  he  was  chosen  em- 
peror. He  was  the  same  year  crowned 
King  of  Germany  at  Mentz,  by  the  arch- 
bishop of  that  city.  He  had  always  be- 
fore his  eyes  the  extreme  dangers  to  which 
they  are  exposed  who  move  on  the  preci- 
pice of  power,  and  that  all  human  things 
are  like  edifices  of  sand,  which  every 
breath  of  t:me  threatens  to  overturn  or 
deface ; he  studied  the  extent  and  impoT 
tance  of  the  obligations  which  attended 
his  dignity;  and,  by  the  assiduous  prac- 

m 


THE -LIFE  OF  HEXET  n. 

tice  of  humiliations,  prayer,  and  pious 
meditation,  he  maintained  in  his  heart 
the  necessary  spirit  of  humility  and  holy 
fear,  and  was  enabled  to  bear  the  tide  of 
prosperity  and  honor  with  a constant 
evenness  of  temper.  Sensible  of  the  end 
for  which  alone  he  was  exalted  by  God 
to  the  highest  temporal  dignity,  he  ex- 
erted his  most  strenuous  endeavors  to 
promote  in  all  things  the  divine  honor, 
me  exaltation  of  the  Church,  and  the 
peace  and  happiness  of  his  people. 

Soon  after  his  accession  to  the  throne, 
he  resigned  the  dukedom  of  Bavaria, 
which  he  bestowed  on  his  brother-in-law 
Henry,  surnamed  Senior.  He  procured  a 
national  council  of  the  bishops  of  all  his 
dominions,  which  was  assembled  at  Dort- 
mund, in  Westphalia,  in  1005,  in  order  to 
regulate  many  points  of  discipline,  and  tc 
enforce  a strict  observance  of  the  holy 
[3] 


TUB  LIFE  OF  HENRY  II. 

canons.  It  was  owing  to  his  zeal  that 
many  provincial  synods  were  also  held 
for  the  same  purpose  in  several  parts  of 
the  empire.  He  was  himself  present  at 
that  of  Frankfort,  in  1006,  and  another  at 
Bamberg,  in  1011.  The  protection  he 
owed  his  subjects  engaged  him  sometimes 
in  wars,  in  all  of  which  he  was  successful. 
By  his  prudence,  courage,  and  clemency, 
he  stifled  a rebellion  at  home  in  the  be- 
ginning of  his  reign,  and  without  striking 
a stroke  compelled  the  malecontents  to 
lay  down  their  arms  at  his  feet,  which, 
when  they  had  done,  he  received  them 
into  favor.  Two  years  after,  he  quelled 
another  rebellion  in  Italy,  when  Ardovi- 
nus  or  Hardwic,  a Lombard  lord,  had 
caused  himself  to  be  crowned  king  at  Mi- 
lan. This  nobleman,  after  his  defeat,  made 
his  submission,  and  obtained  his  pardon. 
When  he  had  afterward  revolted  a second 
[41 


- » — 


THE  LIFE  OF  HE2TRY  IL 

9 

time,  the  emperor  marched  again  into 
Italy,  vanquished  him  in  battle,  and  de- 
prived him  of  his  territories,  but  did  not 
take  away  his  life,  and  Ardovinus  became 
a monk.  After  this  second  victory,  St. 
Henry  went  in  triumph  to  Rome,  where, 
in  1014,  he  was  crowned  emperor  with 
great  solemnity  by  Pope  Benedict  VIII. 
On  that  occasion,  to  give  a proof  of  his 
devotion  to  the  holy  see,  he  confirmed  to 
it  by  an  ample  diploma  the  donation 
made  by  several  former  emperors  of  the 
sovereignty  of  Rome  and  the  exarchate 
of  Ravenna;  and,  after  a short  stay  at 
Rome,  took  leave  of  the  pope,  and,  in  his 
return  to  Germany,  kept  the  Easter  holi- 
days at  Pavia ; then  he  visited  the  mo- 
nastery of  Cl  uni,  on  which  he  bestowed 
the  imperial  globe  of  gold  which  the  pope 
had  given  him,  and  a gold  crown  enriched 
with  precious  stones.  He  paid  his  devo- 
[5J* 


u. 


THE  LIFE  OF  HENRY  H. 

tions  in  other  monasteries  on  the  road, 
leaving  in  every  one  of  them  some  rich 
monument  of  his  piety  and  liberality. 
But  the  most  acceptable  offering  which 
he  made  to  God  was  the  fervor  and  pu- 
rity of  affection  with  which  he  renewed 
the  consecration  of  his  soul  to  God  in  all 
places  where  he  came,  especially  at  the 
foot  of  the  altars.  Travelling  through 
Liege  and  Tries,  he  arrived  at  Bamberg, 
in  which  city  he  had  lately  founded  a 
rich  episcopal  see,  and  had  built  a most 
stately  cathedral  in  honor  of  St.  Peter, 
which  Pope  John  XVIIL  took  a journey 
into  Germany  to  consecrate  in  1019.  The 
emperor  obtained  of  this  pope,  by  an 
honorable  embassy,  the  confirmation  of 
this  and  all  his  other  pious  foundations, 
For  he  built  and  endowed  other  churches 
with  the  two  monasteries  at  Bamberg, 
and  made  the  like  foundations  in  several 
[61 


THE  LIFE  OF  HEANEY  U. 

other  places ; thus  extending  his  zealous 
views  to  promote  the  divine  honor  and 
the  relief  of  the  poor  to  the  end  of  time. 
Bruno,  Bishop  of  Ausburg,  the  emperor’s 
brother,  Henry,  Duke  of  Bavaria,  and 
other  relations  of  the  Saint,  complained 
loudly  that  he  employed  his  patrimony 
on  such  religious  foundations,  and  the 
Duke  of  Bavaria  and  some  others  took  up 
arms  against  him  in  1010 ; but  he  defeated 
them  in  the  field ; then  pardoned  the 
princes  engaged  in  the  revolt,  and  restor- 
ed to  them  Bavaria  and  their  other  terri- 
tories which  he  had  seized. 

The  idolatrous  inhabitants  of  Poland 
and  Sclavonia  had  some  time  before  laid 
waste  the  diocese  of  Meersburg,  and  de- 
stroyed that  and  several  other  churches. 
St.  Henry  marched  against  those  barbar- 
ous nations,  and,  having  put  his  army 
under  the  protection  of  the  holy  martyrs 
[7] 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  HENRY  II. 

St.  Laurence,  St.  George,  and  St.  Adrian, 
who  are  said  to  have  been  seen  in  the 
battle  fighting  before  him,  he  defeated 
the  infidels.  He  had  made  a vow  to  re- 
establish the  See  of  Meersburg  in  case  he 
obtained  the  victory,  and  he  caused  all 
his  army  to  communicate  the  day  before 
the  battle,  which  was  fought  near  that 
city.  The  barbarians  were  seized  with  a 
panic  fear  in  the  beginning  of  the  action, 
and  submitted  at  discretion.  The  princes 
of  Bohemia  rebelled,  but  were  easily 
brought  back  to  their  duty.  The  victori- 
ous emperor  munificently  repaired  and 
restored  the  episcopal  sees  of  Hildesheim, 
Magdeburg,  Strasburg,  Misnia,  and  Meers- 
burg, and  made  all  Poland,  Bohemia,  and 
Moravia  tributary  to  the  empire.  He 
procured  holy  preachers  to  be  sent  to  in- 
struct the  Bohemians  and  Polanders  in 
the  faith.  Those  have  been  mistaken 
[8] 


THE  LIFE  OF  IIENRT  II. 

who  pretend  that  St.  Henry  converted 
St.  Stephen,  King  of  Hungary;  for  that 
prince  was  bom  of  Christian  parents. 
But  our  Saint  promoted  his  zealous  en- 
deavors, and  had  a great  share  in  his 
apostolic  undertakings  for  the  conversion 
of  his  people. 

The  protection  of  Christendom,  and 
especially  of  the  Holy  See,  obliged  St. 
Henry  to  lead  an  army  to  the  extremity 
of  Italy,  where  he  vanquished  the  con- 
quering Saracens,  with  their  allies  the 
Greeks,  and  drove  them  out  of  Italy,  left 
a governor  in  the  provinces  which  he 
had  recovered,  and  suffered  the  Normans 
to  enjoy  the  territories  which  they  had 
then  wrested  from  the  infidels,  but  re- 
strained them  from  turning  their  arms 
towards  Naples  or  Benevento.  He  came 
back  by  Mount  Cassino,  and  was  honor- 
ably received  at  Rome,  but,  during  his 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  HEHRY  U 


stay  in  that  city,  by  a painful  contraction 
of  the  sinews  in  his  thigh,  became  lame 
and  continued  so  till  his  death.  He 
passed  by  Cluni,  and  in  the  duchy  of 
Luxemburg  had  an  interview  with  Ro- 
bert, King  of  France,  son  and  successor 
of  Hugh  Capet.  It  had  been  agreed 
that,  to  avoid  all  disputes  of  pre-eminence, 
the  two  princes  should  hold  their  confer- 
ence in  boats  on  the  river  Meuse,  which, 
as  Glaber  writes,  was  at  that  time  the 
boundary  that  parted  their  dominions. 
But  Henry,  impatient  to  embrace  and 
cement  a friendship  with  that  great  and 
virtuous  king,  paid  the  first  visit  to 
Robert  in  his  tent,  and  afterward  received 
him  in  his  own.  A war  had  broken  out 
between  these  two  princes  in  1006,  and 
Henry  gave  the  French  a great  over- 
throw ; but  being  desirous  only  to  govern 
his  dominions  in  peace,  he  entered  into 
[10] 


THE  LIFE  OF  IIENRY  H. 

negotiations  which  produced  a lasting 
peace.  In  this  interview,  which  was  held 
in  1023,  the  conference  of  the  two  princes 
turned  on  the  most  important  affairs  of 
church  and  state,  and  on  the  best  means 
of  advancing  piety,  religion,  and  the  wel- 
fare of  their  subjects.  After  the  most 
cordial  demonstrations  of  sincere  friend- 
ship, they  took  leave  of  each  other,  and 
St.  Henry  proceeded  to  Verdun  and 
Metz.  He  made  frequent  progresses 
through  his  dominions,  only  to  promote 
piety,  enrich  all  the  churches,  relieve  the 
poor,  make  a strict  enquiry  into  all  public 
disorders  and  abuses,  and  prevent  unjust 
usurpations  and  oppressions.  He  desired 
to  have  no  other  heir  on  earth  but  Christ 
in  his  members,  and  wherever  he  went 
he  spread  the  odor  of  his  piety  and  his 
liberalities  on  the  poor. 

It  is  incredible  how  attentive  he  iva* 

mi 


THE  LIFE  OF  HENRY  n. 

to  the  smallest  affairs  amidst  the  multi- 
plicity of  business  which  attends  the 
government  of  the  state ; nothing  seemed 
to  escape  him,  and,  whilst  he  was  most 
active  and  vigilant  in  every  duty  which 
he  owed  to  the  public,  he  did  not  forget 
that  the  care  of  his  own  soul  and  the 
regulation  of  his  interior  was  his  first 
and  most  essential  obligation.  He  was 
sensible  that  pride  and  vain-glory  are  the 
most  dangerous  of  all  vices,  and  that  they 
are  the  most  difficult  to  be  discovered, 
and  the  last  that  are  vanquished  in  the 
spiritual  warfare ; that  humility  is  the 
very  foundation  of  all  true  virtue,  and 
our  progress  in  it  the  measure  of  our 
advancement  in  Christian  perfection. 
Therefore,  the  higher  he  was"  exalted  in 
worldly  honors,  the  more  did  he  study  to 
humbk  himself,  and  it  is  said  of  him 
that  never  was  greater  humility  seen 
[12] 


THE  LIFE  OF  HENRY  II. 


under  a diadem.  He  loved  those  persons 
best  who  most  freely  put  him  in  mind  of 
his  mistakes,  and  these  he  was  always  most 
ready  to  confess,  and  to  make  for  them 
the  most  ample  reparation.  Through 
misinformations,  he  for  some  time  har- 
bored coldness  toward  St.  Herebert, 
Archbishop  of  Cologne ; but  discovering 
the  innocence  and  sanctity  of  that  prelate, 
he  fell  at  his  feet,  and  would  not  rise  till 
he  had  received  his  absolution  and  par- 
don. He  banished  flatterers  from  his 
presence,  calling  them  the  greatest  pests 
of  courts ; for  none  can  put  such  an  affront 
on  a man’s  judgment  and  modesty  as  to 
praise  him  to  his  face  but  the  base  and 
most  wicked  of  interested  and  designing 
men,  who  make  use  of  this  artifice  to 
insinuate  themselves  into  the  favor  of  a 
prince,  to  abuse  his  weakness  and  cre- 
dulity, and  to  make  him  the  dupe  of  their 
[13J 


THE  LIFE  OF  HEKRY  II. 


injustices.  He  who  listens  to  them  ex* 
poses  himself  to  many  misfortunes  and 
crimes,  to  the  danger  of  the  most  foolish 
pride  and  yain-glory,  and  to  the.  ridicule 
and  scorn  of  his  flatterers  themselves ; for 
a vanity  that  can  publicly  hear  its  own 
praises,  openly  unmasks  itself  to  its  con- 
fusion. The  Emperor  Sigismund,  giving 
a flatterer  a blow  on  the  face,  called  his 
fulsome  praise  the  greatest  insult  that 
had  ever  been  offered  him.  St.  Henry 
was  raised  by  religion  and  humility  above 
this  abjectness  of  soul  which  reason  itself 
teaches  us  to  abhor  and  despise.  By  the 
assiduous  mortification  of  the  senses,  he 
kept  his  passions  in  subjection.  For 
pleasure,  unless  we  are  guarded  against 
its  assaults,  steals  upon  us  by  insensible 
degrees,  smooths  its  passage  to  the  heart 
by  a gentle  and  insinuating  address,  and 
softens  and  disarms  the  soul  of  all  its 
[14] 


THE  LIFE  OF  HEITRY  H. 


strength.  Nor  is  it  possible  for  us  to 
triumph  over  unlawful  sensual  delights, 
unless  we  moderate  and  practise  frequent 
self-denials  with  regard  to  lawful  gratifi- 
cations. The  love  of  the  world  is  a no 
less  dangerous  enemy,  especially  amidst 
honor  and  affluence ; and  created  objects 
have  this  quality : that  they  first  seduce 
the  heart,  and  then  blind  the  understand- 
ing. By  conversing  always  in  heaven, 
St.  Henry  raised  his  affections  so  much 
above  the  earth  as  to  escape  this  snare. 

Prayer  seemed  the  chief  delight  and 
support  of  his  soul ; especially  the  public 
office  of  the  Church.  Assisting  one  day 
at  this  holy  function  at  Strasburg,  he  so 
earnestly  desired  to  remain  always  there  to 
sing  the  divine  praises  among  the  devout 
canons  of  that  Church  that,  finding  this 
mq:>ossible,  he  founded  there  a new  cauon- 
ry  for  one  who  should  always  perform 

[15] 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  HEHBY  II. 

that  sacred  duty  in  his  name.  In  this 
spirit  of  devotion,  it  has  been  established 
that  the  kings  of  France  are  canons  of 
Strasburg,  Lyons,  and  some  other  places ; 
as  in  the  former  place  the  emperors, 
in  the  latter  the  dukes  of  Burgundy, 
were  before  them.  The  holy  sacrament 
of  the  altar  and  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  were 
the  object  of  St.  Henry’s  most  tender  de- 
votion. The  blessed  Mother  of  God  he 
honored  as  his  chief  patroness,  and  among 
other  exercises  by  which  he  recommended 
himself  to  her  intercession,-  it  was  his 
custom,  upon  coming  to  any  town,  to 
spend  a great  part  of  the  first  night  in 
watching  and  prayer,  in  some  church 
dedicated  to  God  under  her  name,  as  at 
Rome  in  St.  Mary  Major.  He  had  a sin- 
gular devotion  to  the  good  angels  and  to 
all  the  saints.  Though  he  lived  in  the 
world  so  as  to  be  perfectly  disengaged 
[16] 


f 


THE  LIFE  OF  HEXEY  H. 

from  it  in  heart  and  affection,  it  was  his 
earnest  desire  entirely  to  renounce  it  long 
before  his  death,  and  he  intended  to  pitch 
upon  the  Abbey  of  St.  Yanne,  at  Verdun, 
for  the  place  of  his  retirement.  But  he 
was  diverted  from  carrying  this  project 
into  execution  by  the  advice  of  Bichard, 
the  holy  abbot  of  that  house.  He  had 
married  St.  Cunegonda,  but  lived  with 
her  in  perpetual  chastity,  to  which  they 
had  mutually  bound  themselves  by  vow. 
It  happened  that  the  empress  was  falsely 
accused  of  incontinency,  and  St.  Henry 
was  somewhat  moved  by  the  slander ; 
but  she  cleared  herself  by  her  oath  and 
by  the  ordeal  trials,  walking  over  twelve 
red-hot  ploughshares  without  hurt.  Her 
husband  severely  condemned  himself  for 
his  credulity,  and  made  her  the  most 
ample  satisfaction.  In  his  last  illness,  he 
recommended  her  to  her  relations  and 

nn 


f 


THE  LIFE  OF  HENKY  II. 


friends,  declaring  that  he  left  her  an  un- 
touched virgin.  His  health  decayed  some 
years  before  his  death,  which  happened 
at  the  Castle  of  Grone,  near  Halberstadt, 
in  1024,  on  the  14th  of  July,  toward  the 
end  of  the  fifty-second  year  of  his  life  ; he 
having  reigned  twenty-two  years  from 
his  election,  and  ten  years  and  five  months 
from  his  coronation  at  Rome.  His  body 
was  interred  in  the  cathedral  at  Bamberg 
with  the  greatest  pomp  and  with  the  un- 
feigned tears  of  all  his  subjects.  The 
great  number  of  miracles  by  which  God 
was  pleased  to  declare  his  glory  in 
heaven  procured  his  canonization,  which 
was  performed  by  Eugenius  HI.  in  1152. 
His  festival  is  kept  on  the  day  following 
that  of  his  death. 


Lie] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WILLIAM, 


ARCHBISHOP  OF  YORK,  CONFESSOR. 


E was  son  of  Earl  Herbert  and  Emma, 


sister  to  King  Stephen.  He  learned 
from  bis  infancy  that  true  greatness  con- 
sists only  in  humility  and  virtue,  and  re- 
nounced the  world  in  his  youth,  employ- 
ing his  riches  "to  purchase  unfading  trea- 
sures in  heaven  by  works  of  mercy  to  the 
poor,  and  giving  himself  wholly  to  the 
study  and  practice  of  religion.  Being 
promoted  to  holy  orders,  he  was  elected 
treasurer  in  the  metropolitical  Church  of 
York,  under  the  learned  and  good  Arch- 
bishop Thurstan.  When  that  prelate, 
after  having  held  his  dignity  twenty  years, 


M 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WILLIAM. 

retired  among  th-e  Cluniac  monks  at  Pon- 
tefract to  prepare  himself  for  his  death, 
which  happened  the  year  following,  St. 
William  was  chosen  archbishop  by  the  ma- 
jority of  the  chapter,  and  consecrated  at 
Winchester  in  September,  1144,  according 
to  Le  Neve’s  Fasti.  But  Osbert,  the 
archdeacon,  a turbulent  man,  procured 
Henry  Murdach,  a Cistercian  monk  of  the 
Abbey  of  Fountains,  who  was  also  a man 
of  great  learning  and  a zealous  preacher, 
to  be  preferred  at  Rome,  whither  William 
went  to  demand  his  pall,  and  to  plead  the 
cause  of  his  constituents  rather  than  his 
own*.  Being  deprived  by  Pope  Eugenius 
III.,  in  1147,  he,  who  had  always  looked 
upon  this  dignity  with  trembling,  appear* 
ed  much  greater  in  the  manner  m which 
he  bore  this  repulse  than  he  could  have 
done  in  the  highest  honors.  Being  re- 
turned into  England,  he  went  privately  to 
12J 

k 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WILLIAM. 

Winchester  to  his  uncle  Henry,  bishop  of 
that  see,  by  whom  he  was  honorably  en- 
tertained. He  led  at  Winchester  a peni- 
tential life  in  silence,  solitude,  and  prayer, 
in  a retired  house  belonging  to  the  bishop, 
bewailing  the  frailties  of  his  past  life  with 
many  tears  for  seven  years.  The  Arch- 
bishop Henry  then  dying  in  1153,  and 
Anastasius  IV.  having  succeeded  Eugenius 
III.  in  the  see  of  Rome,  St.  William,  to 
satisfy  the  importunity  of  others  by  whom 
he  was  again  elected,  undertook  a second 
journey  to  Rome,  and  received  the  palli- 
um from  his  holiness.  The  Saint  on  his 
return  was  met  on  the  road  by  Robert  de 
Gaunt,  dean,  and  Osbert,  Archbishop  of 
the  Church  of  York,  who  insolently  for- 
bade him  to  enter  that  city  or  diocese. 
He  received  the  affront  with  an  engaging 
meekness,  but  pursued  his  journey.  He 
wa9  received  with  incredible  joy  by  his 
[S] 


t 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WILLIAM. 

people.  The  great  numbers  who  assem- 
bled on  that  occasion  to  see  and  welcome 
him  broke  down  the  wooden  bridge  over 
the  river  Ouse,  in  the  middle  of  the  city 
of  York,  and  a great  many  persons  fell 
into  the  river.  The  Saint,  seeing  this  ter- 
rible accident,  made  the  sign  of  the  cross 
over  the  river,  and  addressed  himself  to 
God  with  many  tears.  All  the  world  as- 
cribed to  his  sanctity  and  prayers  the  mi- 
raculous preservation  of  the  whole  multi- 
tude, especially  of  the  chiidren,  who  all 
escaped  out  of  the  waters  without  hurt. 
St.  William  showed  no  enmity  and  sought 
no  revenge  against  his  most  inveterate 
enemies,  who  had  prepossessed  Eugenius 
III.  against  him  by  the  blackest  calumnies, 
and  by  every  unwarrantable  means  had 
obstructed  his  good  designs.  He  formed 
many  great  projects  for  the  good  of 
his  diocese  and  the  salvation  of  souls  ; 

W 


~T~ — ■ — ”™ — — — 3jp- 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  WILLIAM. 

but  within  a few  weeks  after  his  instal- 
lation he  was  seized  with  a fever,  of 
which  he  died  on  the  third  day  of 
,his  sickness,  on  the  8th  of  June,  1154. 

He  was  buried  in  his  cathedral,  and 
canonized  by  Pope  Nicholas  III.  about 
the  year  1280.  At  the  same  time,  his 
body  was  taken  up  by  Archbishop  Wil- 
liam Wickwane,  and  his  relics  put  into  a 
very  rich  shrine,  and  deposited  in  the 
nave  of  the  same  metropolitan  church  in 
1284.  The  feast  of  his  translation  was 
kept  on  the  7 th  of  January.  King  Ed- 
ward I.  and  his  whole  court  assisted  at 
this  ceremony,  during  which  many  mira- 
cles are  attested  to  have  been  wrought. 

A table  containing  a list  of  thirty-six  < e 
miracles,  with  a copy  of  an  indulgence 
of  one  hundred  and  forty  days  to  all  who 
should  devoutly  visit  his  tomb,  is  still  to 
be  seen  in  the  vestry,  but  no  longer 
[5] 


X 


THE  LIITK  OF  ST.  WILLIAM. 

legible,  as  Mr.  Drake  mentions.  The 
shrine,  with  its  rich  plate  and  jewels,  was 
plundered  at  the  Reformation,  but  the 
Saint’s  bones  were  deposited  in  a box 
within  a coffin,  and  buried  in  the  nave 
under  a large  spotted  marble  stone.  Mr. 
Drake  had  the  curiosity  to  see  the  ground 
opened,  and  found  them  with  their  box 
and  coffin  in  1732.  He  laid  them  Again 
in  the  same  place  with  a mark. 


t 


“ 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

SAINT  ANGELA. 


GOD  has  been  often  pleased  to  operate 
His  grandest  works  by  the  agency  of 
instruments  which  appear  to  man  to  be 
entirely  unsuited  to  such  great  ends. 
What  immense  benefits  have  accrued  to 
religion  and  society,  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  the  Ursuline  nuns  ! Devot- 
ed by  their  institute  to  the  Christian 
education  of  the  youth  of  their  own 
sex,  their  Order  has  now  flourished  for 
fully  three  centuries  throughout  all  the 
Catholic  Kingdoms. 

To  a poor  girl  without  credit  or 
TO 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

authority,  but  inflamed  with  the  love  ol 
God,  and  filled  with  zeal  for  the  salvation 
of  her  kind,  we  are  indebted  for  these 
ineffable  benefits.  This  girl  was  called 
Angela  Merici.  She  was  born  in  Italy  at 
Dezensano,  a town  in  the  States  of 
Venice,  in  the  diocess  of  Verona,  near 
the  lake  of  Garda,  March  21st,  of  the 
year  1470.  Her  father  and  mother 
were  distinguished  in  their  social  position, 
but  still  more  distinguished  were  they  for 
their  exalted  piety.  Their  first  and 
chief  care  was  to  train  up  their  child  in  the 
respect  and  fear  of  God. 

Angela’s  pious  disposition  greatly 
facilitated  her  early  education.  From 
her  tenderest  infancy  she  was  grave  and 
modest,  loving  secluded  life,  prayer,  and 
the  meditation  of  heavenly  things.  The 
ordinary  amusements  of  children  afforded 
her  no  pleasure.  Religion,  and  all  that 
(4) 


j 

' --  - - . - - i 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


pertained  to  it,  constituted  her  delight. 

The  father  and  mother  congratulated 
themselves  on  the  piety  of  them  child, 
and  blessed  the  Lord  for  it.  Neverthe- 
less, they  did  not  live  to  witness  the  full 
development  of  those  seeds  of  virtue, 
which  they  had  planted  in  them  infant’s 
heart.  They  were  taken  from  this  world 
before  them  child  had  grown  to  girlhood. 

Angela,  deprived  of  her  parents,  was 
sent  to  Saloj  to  her  maternal  uncle,  with 
one  of  her  sisters.  This  sister  older  than 
herself,  partook  of  her  religious  tastes. 
Them  uncle,  a pious  and  wealthy  man, 
never  interfered  with  their  holy  occupa- 
tions, but,  on  the  contrary,  approved  high- 
ly of  their  designs  and  acts.  The  two  girls 
longed  for  a perfect  state  of  life  ; and 
they  therefore  resolved  to  quit  the  busy 
city,  and  spend  the  remainder  of  their 
lives  in  solitude.  At  the  time  appointed 
(5) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

for  carrying  out  tlieir  designs,  they  with- 
drew, without  telling  any  one,  to  a se- 
cluded cavern,  some  distance  from  Salo. 

Their  uncle,  alarmed  at  not  finding  them 
returning  at  the  accustomed  hour,  was 
greatly  disheartened,  and  he  then  set  out 
in  search  of  them.  He  at  last  found  them 
in  the  solitude  they  had  selected.  After 
making  some  observations  on  what  he 
deemed  an  imprudent  step  at  such  an 
early  moment  of  their  lives,  he  brought 
them  home  to  his  house,  where  they 
enjoyed  the  amplest  liberty  to  follow 
the  impulses  of  their  devotion. 

Taking  advantage  of  this  kind  conces- 
sion, they  converted  their  home  into  a sort 
of  hermitage,  where  they  held  unbroken 
communion  with  God.  The  fame  of  their 
austere  life  and  fervor  was  soon  diffused 
abroad  through  the  city,  where  they  be- 
came objects  of  the  greatest  admiration. 

(0) 


■»'  — — — I * 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

But  God,  who  takes  delight  in  testing 
virtue,  was  pleased,  in  his  inscrutable 
designs,  to  strew  thorns  in  the  path  of  the 
two  sisters.  J ealous  of  the  possession  of 
our  hearts,  He  wishes  to  have  them  en- 
tirely His  own,  and  even  at  the  risk  of 
causing  them  to  suffer,  He  insensibly 
breaks  all  the  bonds  that  would  alienate 
them  from  Him. 

Angela  had  lost  her  father  and  mother, 
and  this  privation  filled  her  with  deep  and 
gincerest  grief.  Now,  only  one  sister  was 
left  to  partake  of  her  pious  sentiments, 
and  this  dear  one  was  taken  from  her  by 
implacable  death. 

This  second  stroke  was  far  more  ‘ 
terrible  for  Angela  than  the  first,  or  rather 
it  revived  all  the  grief  consequent  on  the 
first,  in  sending  an  additional  affliction 
on  her.  The  poor  young  girl  now  found 
herself  bereft  of  all  her  family  joys. 

(?) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

Nevertheless,  although  but  fifteen  years 
of  age,  she  simply  said  to  those  who  came 
to  console  her,  u After  all,  who  am  I,  or 
why  should  I murmur  at  the  decrees  of 
God?  My  sister  belongs  to  Him,  why 
therefore  should  He  not  take  her  to  Him- 
self ? All ! may  His  name  be  blessed  for 
evermore.” 

Meanwhile  Angela’s  grief  was  soon 
assuaged  by  the  assurances  she  received 
of  her  sister’s  eternal  salvation.  One  day 
while  meditating  on  the  felicity  of  the 
saints,  she  besought  God  to  reveal  to 
her  if  He  had  taken  her  sister  into  his 
everlasting  tabernacles.  Her  prayer  was 
heard.  Suddenly  a dazzling  light  shone 
round  about  her ; and  she  beheld  the 
Virgin  Mary,  surrounded  by  hosts  of 
angels,  and  at  her  side  that  dear  sister  for 
whom  she  had  been  weeping.  “ Continue,’1 
said  the  sister  to  her,“  to  walk  perse* 
(8) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

tferingly  in  the  ways  of  perfection,  and 
tliou  shalt  one  day  share  with  me  the  de- 
lights of  eternal  beatitude.” 

This  apparition  and  revelation  from 
Heaven,  redoubled  the  zeal  and  ardor  of 
Angela.  There  was  no  sacrifice  that  she 
was  not  prepared  to  make,  in  order  to 
reach  the  exalted  glory  that  had  been 
promised  to  her. 

The  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis  had 
been  established  at  Salo,  and  our  young 
saint,  desiring  to  have  another  additional 
mean  of  sanctification,  gladly  embraced 
it.  Along  with  the  habit,  she  put  on  the 
spirit  of  its  holy  and  humble  founder. 
Angela’s  apparel,  chamber,  and  furniture  , 
were  poor : she  lived  on  bread,  water,  #and 
lettuces.  On  Christmas  and  Easter-day, 
she  added  a little  wine ; but  she  abstained 
from  all  food  every  Monday  in  Lent.  Her 
garments  were  made  of  the  coarsest  sack- 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

cloth.  Her  bed  was  the  hard  floor,  and 
taking  but  scanty  rest,  she  devoted  the 
greater  part  of  night  to  prayer.  Desiring 
in  every  particular  to  imitate  Jesus  Christ, 
she  wished  to  live  on  alms,  and  all 
her  uncle’s  remonstrances  on  this  sub- 
ject could  not  turn  her  from  her  deter- 
mination. 

The  virtues  of  our  Saint  excited  the 
envy  of  the  devil,  who,  to  deceive  her, 
manifested  himself  to  her  under  the 
appearance  of  an  angel ; but  the  hum- 
ble servant  of  the  Lord  recognized  the 
malice  of  the  tempter.  She  bowed  her 
forehead  to  the  ground,  and  exclaimed 
that  her  numerous  sins  rendered  her 
unworthy  of  being  visited  by  the  angels 
of  God.  This  act  of  humility  put  the 
devil  to  flight ; but  although  victorious, 
Angela  believed  it  to  be  absolutely 
necessary  to  arm  herself  still  more 
(10) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

strongly  against  this  adversary,  by 
redoubling  the  mortiiications  of  her 
body  and  the  number  of  her  pious 
practices. 

God  never  suffers  himself  to  be  ex- 
celled in  liberality.  Angela  was  gener- 
ous, and  so  was  God  to  his  servant 
by  the  abundance  of  spiritual  treasures 
which  he  poured  into  her  soul.  Her 
daily  communions  now  became  to  her 
a source  of  ineffable  delights,  her  devotion 
to  the  august  Sacrament  of  the  Altar  was 
so  ardent,  that  she  spent  entire  hours  on 
her  knees  before  the  tabernacles  of  the 
adorable  Eucharist ; and  often  after  hav- 
ing passed  whole  days  thus,  she  would 
get  up  at  night  to  return  to  the  same 
devout  practice.  Then  while  her  hands 
were  crossed  on  her  bosom,  and  whilst 
the  fire  of  divine  charity  burned  in  her 
soul,  she  would  ever  and  anon  give  utter* 
(ID 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

ance  to  such  tender  sentiments  as  these , 
“ Sacrament  of  my  God,  Jesus,  my  life 
and  my  love,  oh  how  I love  to  be  near 
thee . . Oh  what  could  my  heart  be  with- 
out thee  ! How  sweet  and  tender  are 

the  sentiments  thou  kindlest  in  my  soul ! 
How  kindly  hast  thou  visited  me  in  my 
sorrows,  changing  them  into  transports 
of  joy  ! When  in  thy  presence,  oh  how  in- 
significant is  the  whole  outward  world ! 
Thou,  my  Jesus,  art  all  sufficient  for 
me  ! — Ah,  chase  from  my  memory  the 
grand  productions  of  art,  the  sumptous 
dwellings  of  the  great — I desire  no  other 
object  for  my  love  or  admiration  than 
tins  great  work  of  my  God.  Oh,  my 
Jesus  ! thou  containest  all  good,  thou  art 
all  good.  Great  God,  hear  my  prayers. 
Let  me  die  before  thy  tabernacel, 
drowned  in  my  tears  ” And  the  flying 
hours  that  bring  the  day-dawn  in  their 
(12) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA 

train,  found  her  still  before  the  Adorable 
Object  so  dear  to  her  heart. 

The  death  of  her  uncle  determined 
Angela  to  return  to  Dezensano,  her 
native  town,  but  the  change  of  locality 
nowise  altered  her  pursuits,  and  in  this 
new  asylum  she  was  as  edifying  as  at  Salo 
At  Dezensano  there  was  a sisterhood 
of  the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis,  and 
Angela  now  united  herself  to  them.  Her 
companions  soon  learned  to  admire  her 
virtues,  her  humility,  her  spirit  of 
mortification,  her  charity  and  her 
zeal  for  the  salvation  of  her  neighbor. 

Often  would  she  converse  with  them 
on  the  desire  that  she  entertained  to  con- 
secrate herself  to  the  Christian  instruc- 
tion of  young  girls.  A mysterious  vision 
with  which  God  favored  her,  served  in 
great  measure  to  augment  this  desire, 
and  finally  determined  her  to  undertake 
(13) 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

this  good  work.  One  day  while  at  prayer, 
she  saw  before  her  a mysterious  ladder 
based  on  the  earth  and  reaching  into 
heaven  ; a choir  of  angels  sending  forth 
harmonious  strains  from  divers  instru- 
ments, floated  around  and  over  her,  while 
a countless  crowd  of  young  maidens,  their 
heads  crowned  with  diamond  crowns, 
alternately  ascended  and  descended  the 
ladder.  Absorbed  in  the  contemplation 
of  this  wonder,  she  heard  a voice  saying 
to  her;  11  Thou  knowest,  Angela,  that  God 
hath  sent  thee  this  vision  that  thou  mayst 
learn  to  establish  a community  of  chosen 
virgins : such  is  the  will  of  God.” 

The  humble  servant  of  God  after  man}, 
hesitations,  and  conferences  with  her 
spiritual  guide,  made  her  companions 
aware  of  the  vision  that  she  had  had,  and 
at  last  induced  them  to  agree  with  her  iu 
her  design.  They  therefore  collected 
(14) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


together  in  their  house  the  little  children 
of  De^ensano,  and  began  to  teach  them 
the  Christian  doctrine.  The  results  of 
tins  experiment  were  marvellous.  The 
scholars  became  singularly  remarkable 
for  their  modesty ; and  even  public 
morality  began  to  ameliorate  sensibly. 
Angela’s  reputation  was  soon  widely 
diffused,  and  she  had  to  revisit  Brescia,  the 
capital  of  the  province,  where  her  virtues 
were  regarded  with  the  greatest  respect. 

Angela  had  been  for  a long  time  pro- 
jecting some  holy  pilgrimages  ; and  now 
she  hastened  to  Mantua  in  order  to  have 
a conference  with  sister  Hossana  d’Andrea- 
sie,  a religious  of  the  Order  of  Penance 
of  St.  Dominic,  and  already  celebrated 
for  the  lustre  of  her  virlues.  Thence  cur 
Saint  set  out  for  Venice  where  she  coura- 
geously embarked  on  the  long  and  per- 
ilous voyage  to  Palestine  in  order  to  visit 

(15) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

the  holy  places  where  Jesus  Christ  suf- 
fered for  the  salvation  of  the  human  race. 
They  disembarked  in  the  island  of  Cancua, 
where  Angela  became  totally  deprived  of 
the  faculty  of  sight.  Thus  bereft  of  tho 
consolation  which  she  thought  was  in  re- 
serve for  her,  our  saint  did  not  lose  cour- 
age, but  persevered  in  the  voyage. 
Though  she  could  not  see  with  bodily 
eyes  the  spots  sanctified  by  the  Redeem- 
er’s footmarks,  she  would  fain  tread  that 
holy  soil,  and  cause  herself  to  be  led  by 
the  hand  through  all  the  localities  iden- 
tified with  the  history  of  our  Savior. 
Oh ! who  could  describe  the  throbbings 
of  her  heart  when  she  descended  into  the 
Lord’s  sepulchre,  or  visited  the  place 
where  He  expired  on  the  cross ! What 
great  memories  crowd  over  that  land — the 
land  of  the  Manger  and  of  Calvary  ! 

“ Between  the  valley  of  the  Jordan 
(16) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


and.  the  plains  of  Idumea,”  says  Chateau- 
briand, “ stretches  out  a chain  of  moun- 
tains which  commences  in  the  fertile 
fields  of  Galilee  and  loses  itself  in  the 
sands  of  the  Yemen.  In  the  centre  of 
these  mountains  there  is  an  arid  basin 
locked  in  on  all  sides  by  yellow  rocky 
peaks ; these  peaks  open  only  on  the 
east,  and  give  glimpses  of  the  Dead  Sea 
and  the  distant  mountains  of  Arabia.  In 
the  midst  of  these  stony  landscapes,  on  a 
broken  and  inclining  site,  within  the 
circuit  of  a wall  ages  ago  battered  by 
military  engines,  and  strengthened  by 
tottering  towers,  the  eye  rests  on  vast 
ruins.  Straggling  cypresses,  and  some 
masses  of  Arabic  masonry  like  whitened 
sepulchres,  are  scattered  over  this  heap 
of  ruins  : such  is  sad  J erusalem. 

“At  first  sight  of  these  desolate  regions 
a great  sadness  seizes  the  heart.  But 

(17) 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


passing  from  solitude  to  solitude,  while 
the  horizon  expands  before  you,  this 
sadness  vanishes  by  degrees.  The  travel- 
ler experiences  a secret  terror,  which 
far  from  casting  down  the  soul,  gives 
it  courage,  and  elevates  it.  Wonder- 
ful sights  meet  the  eye  on  this  soil,  sancti- 
fied by  miracles.  The  burning  sky,  the 
impetuous  eagle,  the  humble  hyssop,  the 
proud  cedars,  the  sterile  fig  tree,  all  the 
poetry,  all  the  pictures  of  the  Scripture 
are  there.  Every  name  reveals  a mystery, 
every  grotto  speaks  of  the  future,  every 
mountain-peak  echoes  the  accents  of 
prophets.  God  himself  has  spoken  on  these 
spots.  The  dried-up  torrents,  the  rent 
rocks,  the  gaping  tombs  attest  this  prodi- 
gy ; the  desert  seems  dumb  from  terror, 
and  one  is  inclined  to  think  that  it  has  not 
dared  to  break  the  silence  since  the  time 
when  it  heard  the  voice  of  the  Eternal.” 

(18) 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

Angela  did  not  tarry  long  in  Jerusalem. 
She  soon  afterwards  set  sail  for  Italy,  and 
in  Candia  wliere  she  lost  her  sight,  she 
recovered  it  while  kneeling  before  an 
image  of  Jesus  Christ  crucified.  From 
Candia  she  proceeded  to  Italy.  During 
this  voyage  they  encountered  a terrible 
tempest,  and  two  vessels  of  the  convoy 
were  entirely  wrecked.  The  ship  in 
which  Angela  sailed  reached  Venice  in 
safety,  after  having  struggled  against  the 
storm  for  fully  nine  days. 

Our  Saint  remained  in  Venice  with  the 
sisterhood  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  till  she 
retrieved  her  shattered  health.  The  fame 
of  her  sanctity  attracted  the  most  distin- 
guished of  the  citizens  to  her,  and  many 
of  them  urged  her  to  place  herself  at  the 
head  of  the  religious  establishments  then 
flourishing  in  the  city  of  the  Doges. 

The  humble  maiden  declined  this  fiat- 
(19) 


TOE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


tering  proposal,  and  in  order  to  escape 
tli 8 honors  the  people  intended  to  confer 
on  her,  she  left  the  city  secretly,  and 
arrived  in  Brescia,  November  24,  1524. 

The  Jubilee  of  1525  had  commenced, 
and  Angela  proceeded  to  Borne,  to  par- 
take of  the  great  spiritual  favors  granted 
on  such  a grand  occasion.  Pope  Clement 
VII  then  occupied  the  chair  of  St  Peter, 
and  he  not  only  admitted  Angela  to  an 
audience,  but  gave  her  a most  cordial 
reception. 

Intimately  convinced  of  the  eminent 
merits  of  our  Saint,  his  Holiness  deemed  it 
his  duty  to  persuade  her  to  fix  her  abode  at 
Rome,  and  thus  take  charge  of  the  various 
houses  devoted  to  works  of  mercy.  But 
Angela  never  forgot  the  vision  which  inti- 
mated that  she  was  to  be  foundress  of  an 
Order,  and  she  therefore  respectfully 
excused  herself  to  the  Pontiff.  After 
(20) 


TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


receiving  his  benediction  and  sanction, 
she  returned  to  Brescia. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Italy  was  desolated 
by  wars,  which  forced  our  Saint  to  leave 
Brescia ; but  as  soon  as  peace  returned, 
she  laid  the  foundations  of  her  celebrated 
Order.  She  did  nothing  without  weighing 
well  every  circumstance  that  might  ad- 
vance or  retard  her  project ; and  indeed, 
her  great  humility  caused  her  to  entertain 
doubts  of  its  success. 

It  was  on  the  25th  November,  1535, 
that  Angela  formed  her  little  community 
of  twenty-seven  virgins.  She  drew'  up 
for  them  a short  rule,  divided  into  twelve 
chapters.  She  did  not  require  any  dowry 
with  her  postulants,  in  order  that  they 
might  have  no  difficulty  in  joining  her 
institute.  The  duties  she  imposed  on 
them  did  not  oblige  them  to  live  in  com- 
mon, but  they  were,  nevertheless,  admira- 
(21) 


TELE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


bly  suited  to  carrying  out  her  holy 
intentions. 

Motived  by  the  holiest  spirit  of 
humility,  and  despising  all  earthly 
fame,  our  Saint,  to  conceal  her  own 
name,  called  her  new  Institute  “Saint 
Ursula’s.”  But  although  she  satisfied  her 
innate  modesty  by  excluding  her  own 
name,  she  was  greatly  mortified  never- 
theless when  she  heard  the  people,  all  of 
whom  were  edified  by  the  young  com- 
munity, styling  it  the  u Holy  Company” 
and  the  “ Divine  Order.”  Angela  her- 
self foretold  that  her  Institute  should 
continue  to  flourish  for  ever,  as  it  had  for 
its  patroness  and  protectress,  that  illus- 
trious Saint  who  led  so  many  virgins  to 
martyrdom 

As  the  number  of  the  sisters  increased 
daily,  it  became  necessary  to  elect  a 
superioress  to  govern  the  rising  cora- 
(22) 


r 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


lnunity,  and  for  tliis  purpose  Angela 
assembled  all  its  members.  Their  choice 
was  soon  fixed,  and  they  all  with  one 
accord  selected  her . to  govern  them.  It 
was  with  great  repugnance  that  she 
accepted  this  dignity ; but  she  soon 
proved  how  worthy  she  was  of  her  posi- 
tion. Her  sweetness,  her  goodness,  her 
evenness  of  temper,  won  her  the  hearts 
of  all  her  children,  and  they  deemed 
themselves  blessed  under  her  guidance. 

As  soon  as  her  Institute  had  been  sanc- 
tioned by  the  Bishop  of  Brescia,  Angela 
would  gladly  have  retired  from  the  posi- 
tion of  superior;  and  so  desirous  was  she  of 
this  that  she  alleged  her  age  and  infirmi- 
ties,  hoping  that  the  bishop  would  release 
her  from  this  grave  responsibility.  The 
instances  and  tears  of  her  community,  | 
however,  compelled  her  to  continue  in  her 
place.  The  bishop  commanded  her  to  j 
(23)  * 


\ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

retain  her  authority,  and  it  was  in  obedi- 
ence to  him  that  she  continued  to  hold  the 
appointment.  Were  it  not  for  this,  all 
the  instances  of  her  community  must 
iiave  been  of  no  avail. 

Her  submission  was  soon  followed  by 
infirm  health,  for  she  fell  sick  about  the 
beginning  of  January,  1540;  and  from 
that  very  moment  she  predicted  that  the 
time  of  her  decease  was  not  far  off.  Her 
first  care,  now  that  she  found  herself  in 
danger,  was  to  assemble  the  community, 
and  give  the  sisterhood  salutary  in- 
structions, replete  with  wisdom.  Thence- 
forth, her  only  occupation  was  to  testify  to 
her  Divine  Master  her  burning  desire  of 
beingunited  to  Him.  Feeling  her  strength 
beginning  to  fail,  she  received  the  Sacra- 
ments of  the  Church  with  admirable 
fervor.  Even  to  her  latest  gasp  she  di  d 
not  cease  to  make  acts  of  faith  and  hope. 

m 


I 

I " ' " 

i 

i 

j 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 

At  length,  rich  in  every  sort  of 
Christian  merits,  aged  about  seventy 
years,  consumed  by  the  most  ardent 
charity,  and  consoled  with  all  the  comforts 
that  the  Church  provides  for  its  children, 
Angela  peacefully  breathed  her  last  sigh, 
and  presented  to  the  Divine  Spouse  her 
unsullied  baptismal  garment,  January 
27,  1540. 

“ For  a just  soul,”  says  Massillon, 
“ death  is  something  sweet  and  desirable. 
Arrived  at  that  happy  moment,  it  regrets 
not  a world  which  it  always  regarded  as 
a mere  vapor,  as  a thing  that  it  had 
never  loved.  Then,  indeed,  the  eyes 
willingly  close  on  all  the  vain  spectacles 
which  the  earth  presents  of  a moment. 
Joyfully  does  the  soul  feel  the  mortal 
body,  theretofore  the  matter  of  all  its 
temptations,  and  the  source  of  all  its 
weaknesses,  putting  on  immortality.  It 

(^5) 

I 

! 

L . ....  _ „ _ ___ 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA.  • 


regrets  nothing  on  the  earth,  where  it 
leaves  nothing,  and  whence  the  heart  like 
the  spirit  takes  its  flight.  It  grieves  not 
at  being  taken  away  in  the  midst  of  its 
course,  nor  does  it  repine  at  leaving 
the  world  while  youth  is  only  flourish- 
ing. On  the  contrary,  it  thanks  its 
liberator  for  having  shortened  its  trials 
with  its  years,  and  for  having  de- 
manded only  half  of  its  debt  as  the 
purchase  money  of  an  eternity — for 
having  consummated  its  sacrifice  in  a 
brief  interval,  lest  a long  sojourn  here 
below  might  waste  and  corrupt  the  heart 
Then,  indeed,  the  mortifications  and  aus- 
terities, which  cost  the  weakness  of  the 
flesh  so  much,  fill  the  soul  with  the  most 
consolatory  reflection ; it  sees  every  thing 
vanish,  save  what  it  has  done  for  God , 
it  beholds  itself  abandoned  by  propei'ty, 
kindred,  fri ends, and  dignities,  by  every 
(26) 


THE  LIFE  OF  1ST.  ANGELA. 


i| 

thing  save  its  works  ; but  it  is  sustained 
by  transports  of  joy,  when  remembering 
tliafc  it  did  not  place  its  confidence  in  the 
favor  of  princes,  in  the  children  of  men, 
In  the  illusive  hopes  of  fortune,  in  mere 
perishable  things,  but  in  the  Lord  who 
remaineth  for  ever  and  ever,  and  in  whose 
bosom  it  shall  find  that  peace  and  felicity 
which  creatures  cannot  give.  Thus 
tranquil,  as  to  all  that  regards  the*  past, 
despising  the  present,  delighted  at  the 
idea  of  reaching  its  longed-for  goal, 
beholding  the  bosom  of  Abraham  open 
to  receive  it,  and  the  Son  of  Man  seated 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  father  holding 
out  the  crown  of  immortality,  it  falls 
asleep  in  the  Lord,  and  is  carried  by 
blessed  spirits  to  the  dwelling  of  the 
Saints,  and  returns  to  the  place  whence 
S it  came.” 

It  would,  difficult  to  describe  the 

(27) 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


sensation  produced  by  Angela’s  death  m 
the  city  of  Brescia,  where  she  had  been 
long  venerated  as  a saint,  and  above  all, 
in  that  blessed  asylum  she  had  founded. 
The  sisterhood  wept  for  her  as  their  adop- 
tive mother,  their  guide  and  their 
mistress.  A holy  rivalry  arose  between 
the  Chapter  of  the  Cathedral  of  Brescia, 
and  the  regular  canons  of  saint  Affra  (her 
parish)  about  the  possession  of  her  body. 

O wing  to  this  rivalry,  her  mortal  remains 
lay  thirty  days  unburied,  and  yet  corrup- 
tion touched  her  not,  and  all  her  limbs 
were  as  pliant  as  if  she  had  not  died. 

At  last,  she  was  interred  in  the  church 
of  St.  Affra,  near  the  grand  altar,  in  a 
tomb  covered  with  a slab  of  black  marble, 
which  was  inscribed  with  her  eulogies  • 
Many  miracles  were  wrought  at  her  tomb, 
which  was  visited  by  vast  multitudes 
fr  om  all  quarters. 

(28) 

} 

I 

I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


St.  Charles  Borromeo  occupied  himself 
much  in  the  business  of  her  Beatification ; 
but  death  prevented  him  from  carrying 
it  into  effect.  After  many  processes  com- 
menced and  interrupted  by  various 
circumstances,  Angela  was  inscribed 
amongst  the  number  of  the  Beatified, 
April  30,  1768,  by  Pope  Clement  XIII. 
Finally,  after  three  cures,  miraculously 
wrought  by  her  intercession,  and  proven 
beyond  all  doubt,  Pope  Pius  VI 
canonized  her  solemnly,  May  24,  1807. 

At  the  time  of  Angela’s  translation 
from  this  life,  her  community  was  com- 
posed of  a hundred  and  fifty  virgins,  and 
nine  widows.  In  1544,  Paul  III 
approved  her  institute ; and  in  1572, 
Gregory  XIII  raised  it  to  the  dignity 
of  a religious  order,  under  the  rule  of 
St.  Augustine,  and  bound  its  inmates  to 
the  cloister.  St.  Charles  Borromeo,  the 

(29) 


j 

i 


THE  LITE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


illustrious  Archbishop  of  Milan,  gave 
especial  encouragement  to  this  institute  ; 
and  after  seeing  the  great  amount  of 
good  it  had  effected  in  Brescia,  he 
established  a similar  community  at 
Milan.  In  the  following  century,  the 
Order  of  St.  Ursula  made  most  rapid 
progess  in  both  hemispheres.  The  first 
establish  ment  of  this  order  in  France  was 
founded  at  Paris  in  1611,  by  Magdalene 
Lhuilier.  Five  years  before,  Mother 
Anne  de  Saintonge,  of  Dijon,  had  already 
established  religious  of  this  order  in 
Franclie-Comte,  wliich  was  not  then  a 
part  of  France,  but  with  this  difference, 
that  they  were  not  bound  to  exact  cloister 
life. 

The  institute  of  the  Ursulines  is  com- 
posed of  fourteen  congregations,  winch 
have  different  constitution^,  but  all  of 
which  propose  to  themselves  the  same 
(30) 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA. 


object,  the  Christian  education  of  their 
own  sex.  The  houses  of  this  order  were 
very  numerous  iu  I ranee  at  the  time  of 
the  resolution ; they  then  exceeded  three 
hundred,  and  the  single  province  of 
Bretagne  counted  thirty  of  them. — 
Amongst  the  most  celebrated  of  them  all, 
was  that  of  the  St.  James,  at  Paris,  in 
which  the  far-famed  Madame  de  Maintenon 
was  a pensioner.  Many  of  them  have 
been  re-established  in  various  regions  of 
France.  The  Order  lias  houses  in  Brazil, 
Canada,  the  United  States,  and  Ireland. 
That  of  Quebec  was  founded  in  1639. 

Happy  are  the  young  who  are 
consigned  to  the  guidance  of  the  pure  and 
holy  ! 

How  blessed  are  the  hands  of  those 
holy  virgins  who  lead  infancy  in  the 
paths  of  righteousness.  How  noble  the 
vocation  that  has  been  given  to  them 
(3l> 


THE  LxFE  OF  ST.  ANGELA 


from  on  liigli ! Blessed  for  ever  be 
those  mansions  which  are  the  asylums 
of  innocence,  where  our  Christian  families 
can  secure  for  their  offspring  all  the 
benefits  of  Christian  enlightenment ! 

PEAYEK. 

Great  Saint ! who  lived  only  for  the 
glory  of  God,  and  who,  by  a pious  and 
durable  institution  desired  to  perpetuate 
the  zeal  which  inflamed  you  for  your 
kind  ! Oh,  Virgin ! the  model  and  the 
lover  of  virgins  ! St.  Angela  ! continue  to 
protect  those  who  invoke  your  powerful 
intercession.  Look  down  on  us  from 
heaven,  and  implore  for  us  the  grace  of 
that  God  who  has  loved  and  crowned  you 
in  his  everlasting  kingdom. 


(») 


! 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  EUGENE 

iND  IlIS  COMPANIONS. 


JN  428,  under  the  reign  of  the  Empe- 
ror Valentinian  III.,  Genseric,  King 
of  the  Vandals,  who  had  overrun  Spain, 
passed  into  Africa,  and  desolated  the  fer- 
tile regions  of  that  country.  The  Van- 
dals, who  were  for  the  most  part  Chris- 
tians, but  infected  with  the  Arian  heresy, 
pillaged  the  cities  and  hamlets,  dealing 
death  around  them  whithersoever  they 
went.  They  spared  not  the  monasteries 
nor  the  churches,  the  bishops  of  which 
they  subjected  to  the  most  revolting  tor- 
tures, m order  to  get  possession  of  the 
[ij 


i 


ST.  EUGENE  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS. 

gold  and  silver  utensils  consecrated  to  tlie 
use  of  the  sanctuary.  They  razed  the  pub 
lie  buildings  of  Carthage,  and  put  th< 
pastors  and  people  to  flight. 

In  454,  Genseric,  at  the  request  o* 
Valentinian,  allowed  the  Catholics  to 
choose  another  bishop.  He  whom  they 
elected  had  died  a short  time  after  the 
Vandals  had  returned  from  the  sack  of 
Rome.  Persecution  having  been  re- 
kindled with  double  fury,  a great  number 
of  the  Christians  were  tormented  for  the 
faith,  and  many  of  them  received  the 
crown  of  martyrdom.  The  Arians  com- 
mitted the  most  appalling  sacrileges : they 
desecrated  the  linens  of  the  altars,  and 
trample^  the  adorable  Eucharist  under 
their  feet.  The  Catholics  were  declarer 
incompetent  to  hold  any  office  in  the 
State,  and  one  of  the  chief  officers  in  the 
court  of  Theodoric  was  condemned  to 
LSI 


ST.  EUGENE  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS. 

herd  sheep,  simply  because  he  clung  to 
the  true  religion. 

Hun  eric,  the  son  and  successor  of  Gen- 
seric,  was  still  more  bloodthirsty  and 
cruel  than  his  father.  Nevertheless,  he 
permitted  the  Catholics,  who  had  been 
deprived  of  a bishop  for  twenty-four 
years,  to  elect  a pastor  in  481.  There 
was  then  in  Carthage  a man  remarkable 
for  his  learning,  zeal,  and  prudence, 
named  Eugene.  On  him  the  choice  of 
the  people  fell,  and  he  was  unanimously 
elected  bishop.  Such  was  his  conduct 
that  the  very  heretics  respected  him. 
Like  a true  father  of  the  faithful  commit- 
ted to  his  charge,  he  distributed  plen- 
teous alms,  and  denied  himself  all  neces- 
saries in  order  to  minister  to  the  poor. 
‘‘The  good  pastor,”  he  was  wont  to  say, 
u lays  down  his  life  for  his  flock ; how, 
then,  could  I trouble  myself  about  what 
[3] 


I 


ST.  EUGENE  AND  IIIS  COMPANTwrwo. 

concerns  ray  body  ? ” He  listed  every 
day,  and  took  only  a slight  repast  at 
nightfall. 

The  Arians,  however,  were  not  slow  in 
exhibiting  their  hatred  to  him.  The  king 
sent  him  word  that  he  would  not  suffer 
him  to  occupy  the  episcopal  throne  or  to 
preach  to  the  people.  None  of  the  Van- 
dals were  permitted  to  enter  his  church. 
The  holy  bishop  replied,  with  a dignity 
consonant  to  his  sacred  character,  that 
God,  far  from  commanding:  him  to  close 
the  church  against  those  who  desired  to 
serve  him,  ordered  him  to  receive  them. 
Huneric  then  became  furious  at  this 
reply,  and  persecuted  all  those  who  pro- 
fessed Catholicity,  but  the  Vandals  par- 
ticularly wrho  adhered  to  the  true  faith. 
When  the  heretics  saw  any  persons  dress- 
ed in  the  costume  of  the  Vandals  entering: 
the  churches,  they  fell  on  them  with  clubs. 

[4] 


i 

I 


ST.  EUGENE  AND  II IS  COMPANIONS. 

and  beat  them  grievously  on  the  head. 
Many  of  them  died ; and  those  who  sur 
vived  were  paraded  through  the  city 
their  heads  lacerated  and  bleeding.  But 
the  fury  of  the  Vandals  did  not  produce 
the  desired  effect,  for  no  Catholic  aban- 
doned his  faith. 

Huneric  relaxed  not  his  rigor;  he 
would  not  allow  a Catholic  to  be  employ* 
ed  in  the  public  offices.  He  drove  the 
orthodox  Vandals  from  their  houses,  and, 
after  stripping  them  of  their  goods,  trans- 
ported them  to  Sicily.  The  persecution 
now  became  general,  and  fell  on  all  classes 
indiscriminately.  A great  many  holy 
maidens  consecrated  to  God  were  cruelly 
tortured,  and  expired  in  agony.  The 
number  of  bishops,  priests,  deacons,  and 
laics  banished  amounted  to  nearly  five 
thousand.  Nothing  could  have  been 
more  affecting  than  the  departure  of  those 
L5J 


8T.  EUGENE  AND  HI3  COMPANIONS. 

generous  exiles.  The  people  for  some 
time  followed  the  bishops  and  priests 
with  lighted  tapers  in  their  hands ; the 
mothers  carried  their  children  in  their 
arms,  and  then,  laying  them  down  at  the 
feet  of  the  holy  confessors,  addressed  them 
thus : u Now  that  you  are  going  to  mar- 
tyrdom, to  whom  will  you  leave  us? 
Who  will  baptize  us?  Who  will  de- 
liver us  from  our  sins  by  the  sacrament 
of  penance?  Who  will  assist  us  in  our 
last  hour?  Who  will  pray  for  us  after 
our  death?  Who  will  offer  the  divine 
sacrifice  with  the  ordinary  ceremonies? 
Why  are  we  not  permitted  to  share  your 
exile  ? 

Eugene  was  not  included  in  this  first 
banishment ; but  in  the  month  of  May, 
483,  the  king  sent  him  word  that  he 
desired  the  Catholics  of  Carthage  to  hold 
a conference  with  the  Arian  bishops 

r«i 


ST.  EUGENE  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS. 

The  Saint,  seeing  that  the  Arians  were 
to  he  the  judges,  replied  “that,  as  this 
matter  regarded  all  the  churches,  it  would 
he  necessary  to  invite  and  consult  tiie 
churches  beyond  the  seas,  and  particu- 
larly the  Roman  Church,  from  which  all 
the  others  derived  their  power.” 

About  this  time,  a blind  man  named 
Felix  besought  Eugene  to  restore  sight 
to  him,  saying  that  he  asked  this  favor  be- 
cause he  had  had  an  apparition.  The  holy 
bishop  excused  himself,  replying  that  he 
was  a sinner,  and  consequently  unworthy 
to  perform  a miracle.  After  having  blessed 
the  baptismal  fonts  on  the  Feast  of  the 
Epiphany,  he  spoke  to  the  blind  man 
thus:  “I  have  told  you  that  I am  a 
sinner,  and  the  least  of  men  ; but  I beseech 
God  to  deal  with  you  according  to  your 
faith,  and  to  restore  you  your  sight.” 
He  then  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  on 
[7] 


i 


ST.  EUGENE  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS. 

his  eyes,  and  the  blind  man  was  instantly 
cured.  The  king  and  the  whole  popula- 
tion were  cognizant  of  this  miracle,  but 
the  Arian  bishops  asserted  that  it  was 
the  result  of  magic. 

Meanwhile,  the  conference  had  been 
opened.  The  Catholics  named  ten  of 
their  communion  to  speak,  and  Cyrila, 
the  Arian  patriarch,  took  possession  of  the 
bench.  The  orthodox  required  that  fit 
persons  should  be  appointed  to  take 
down  the  arguments  in  writing.  Being 
told  that  Cyrila  was  to  do  that,  the  Cath- 
olics demanded  by  what  right  the  latter 
had  taken  on  him  the  rank  and  jurisdic- 
tion of  Patriarch.  The  Arians  then  raised 
a clamor,  and  every  Catholic  present  was 
icondemned  to  receive  a hundred  strokes 
of  a club.  Thus  ended  the  conference. 
Meanwhile,  the  Catholics  presented  a 
profession  or  faith  in  writing,  but  the 
[8] 


ST.  EUGENE  AND  IIIS  COMPANIONS. 


Aria  ns  grew  indignant  that  the  orthodox 
should  style  themselves  Catholics,  al- 
though, as  St.  Augustine  remarks,  this 
title  was  given  to  them  universally  some 
time  before.  In  484,  the  king  issued  an 
edict  commanding  a general  persecution. 
Unheard-of  cruelties  were  now  every- 
where perpetrated.  Catholics  had  their 
hands,  tongues,  ears,  and  noses  mutilated. 
The  streets  of  Carthage  presented  the 
most  revolting  spectacles.  Four  hundred 
and  sixty  bishops  were  driven  into  that 
city ; many  of  them  died  in  torments,  and 
many  of  them  were  exiled.  Amongst 
the  latter  was  St.  Eugene,  who  addressed 
the  following  letter  to  his  flock:  “I 
adjure  you,  by  the  coming  of  Jesus  Christ, 
to  continue  firm  in  the  profession  of  the 
Catholic  faith.  Preserve  the  grace  of  one 
baptism,  and  the  unction  of  chrism.  Let 
none  of  you  submit  to  be  rebaptized.” 

[91 


ST.  EUGENE  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS. 

He  said  this,  because  the  Arlans,  like  the 
Donatists,  rebaptized  all  apostates  “ If 
I return  to  Carthage,”  continues  he,  “ I 
will  see  you  in  this  life  ; if  not,  I will  see 
you  in  the  other.  Pray  for  us,  and  fast, 
because  fasting  and  praying  will  bring 
down  God’s  mercy.  But  above  all,  re- 
member that  you  are  not  to  dread  those 
who  can  kill  the  body  only.” 

St.  Eugene  was  transported  to  the 
province  of  Tripoli,  and  handed  over  to 
Antonius,  an  Arian  bishop,  who  could 
not  shake  the  faith  of  Christ’s  confessor. 
The  Saint  added  many  austerities  to  his 
sufferings.  He  wore  sackcloth,  slept  on 
the  ground,  and  passed  nearly  the  whole 
night  in  prayer. 

Huneric,  the  persecutor,  died  miserably 
a.d.  484,  and  was  succeeded  by  Gonta- 
mond.  In  488,  this  prince  recalled 
Eugene,  and  opened,  at  his  instance,  the 
[m 


f 


ST.  EUGENE  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS. 

Catholic  churches;  he  likewise  recalled 
the  exiled  priests.  Gontamond  died  in 
49 6,  and  was  succeeded  by  Trasimond,  a 
great  enemy  to  the  faith,  who  ordered 
Eugene  to  be  beheaded.  On  his  way 
to  the  scaffold,  the  holy  bishop  over  and 
over  declared  that  he  preferred  losing  life 
to  renouncing  the  Catholic  faith.  He 
was  then  led  back  to  Carthage,  whence 
he  was  exiled  to  Languedoc,  which  was 
governed  by  Alaric,  King  of  the  Visigoths, 
who  was  an  Arian.  St.  Eugene  passed 
out  of  this  life  to  a glorious  immortality, 
in  the  monastery  of  Alby,  a.d.  505. 


r 


THE  LIFE 


OP 


SAINT  PHILIP  HER I. 


HILXP  NERI  was  born  in  Florence, 


in  1515;  be  was  the  son  of  Francis 
Neri,  an  advocate,  and  Lncretia  Soldi,  both 
members  of  opulent  families  in  Tuscan)7. 

From  bis  earliest  infancy,  be  was  re- 
markable for  obedience  to  bis  parents.  To 
displease  them  even  in  the  most  trifling 
circumstances  appeared  to  him  a great 
fault;  and  whenever  be  saw  they  were 
not  fully  satisfied  with  him,  be  shed  tears 
abundantly.  His  gentleness  was  most 
wonderful ; be  was  never  known  to  have 
indulged  anger ; and  be  would  rather  have 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  HEEL 

suffered  any  amount  of  annoyance  than 
allow  the  slightest  irritation  to  enter  his 
heart.  His  fellow-scholars  universally 
called  him  the  good  Philip. 

He  prosecuted  his  studies  with  that 
success  which  is  always  a special  bless- 
ing bestowed  by  Heaven  on  youthful 
virtue. 

As  soon  as  he  had  finished  the  humani- 
ty course,  his  parents  thought  of  placing 
him  on  the  road  that  leads  to  worldly 
fortune.  One  of  his  uncles,  a rich  mer- 
chant, was  then  conducting  a great. com- 
mercial establishment.  He  was  very  fond 
of  Philip,  and  appeared  disposed  to  make 
him  inheritor  of  all  his  property.  This 
truly,  in  the  worldly  sense,  was  a golden 
opportunity  for  young  Philip.  His  pa- 
rents, desiring  that  he  should  profit  by  it, 
sent  him  to  his  uncle.  But  Philip  did 
not  remain  with  him  long;  he  could  see 
[2] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  HERI. 

nothing  in  wealth,  the  world,  or  its  dissi- 
pations, except  heavy  chains,  illusions, 
vanities,  and  terrible  chances  of  perishing, 
perhaps,  for  ever.  He  therefore  left  his 
uncle’s  house,  and  went  to  live  at  Rome, 
in  1583.  A Florentine  gentleman,  named 
Galleotto  Caccia,  offered  him  his  house,  and 
entrusted  him  with  the  education  of  his 
children.  His  conduct  whilst  discharging 
this  duty  was  edifying.  All  the  time 
that  he  could  spare  from  instructing  his 
pupils  was  devoted  by  him  to  prayer  and 
meditation,  and  he  was  wont  to  spend 
the  night  in  these  holy  exercises. 

Under  such  a master,  Galleotto’s  children 
made  great  progress  in  virtue  and  lit- 
erature. 

Meanwhile,  Philip  had  enlarged  the 
sphere  of  his  studies ; he  applied  himself 
seriously  to  philosophy  and  theology. 
His  success  was  commensurate  with  his 
[3] 


THE  LIFE  ^F  ST.  PHILIP  HEBI. 


application,  and  lie  outstripped  all  those 
in  the  same  school  with  him. 

The  talents  and  endearing  characteris- 
tics of  our  young  Saint,  after  a little  while, 
won  him  the  hearts  of  all  who  knew  him. 
Youths  of  his  own  age  were  desirous  of 
making  his  acquaintance,  and  contracting 
friendship  with  him;  but  true  virtue  is 
always  timid,  prudent,  and  reserved.  Ah  ! 
how  often  has  an  easily  formed  friendship 
proved  the  destruction  of  fervor  and  recol- 
lection ! Philip,  moreover,  dreaded  theloss 
of  that  precious  time  which  friendship  de- 
mands for  idle  and  useless  conversations. 
Thus  he  showed  himself  as  avaricious  of 
his  moments  as  he  "was  of  his  affections, 
and  he  concluded  that  both  should  be 
consecrated  to  duty  and  charity.  In  fact, 
of  what  avail  are  the  conversations  of 
men,  and  the  running  after  society  ? Are 
we  always  improved  or  bettered  by  such  ? 

[4] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  KEEL 

Is  it  not  rather  in  silence  and  solitude 
that  God  is  pleased  to  speak  to  the 
heart  ? 

Philip  was  too  well  acquainted  with 
prayer  to  be  ignorant  of  those  grand 
principles  of  Christian  perfection;  hence 
it  was  that  he  grew  fond  and  fonder  of  a 
life  of  thinking  and  silence — of  that  life 
which  raises  the  heart  above  death,  and 
unites  it  to  God. 

Meanwhile,  despite  all  precautions,  our 
young  Saint  was  not  secured  entirely 
against  temptations  and  trials.  Some 
young  libertines  resolved  to  corrupt  his 
morals,  and  uttered  unholy  words  in  his 
ears ; but  God  watched  over  his  servant. 
Those  culpable  proposals,  far  from  seduc 
ing  his  soul,  inflamed  it  with  a new  zeal, 
and  he  spoke  to  those  young  depraved 
people  with  such  power  and  unction  that 
he  succeeded  in  softening  the  hardness  of 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NEEL 

tlieir  hearts,  and  inspiring  them  with 
sentiments  of  true  penance.  The  arms 
that  he  employed  to  vanquish  their  at- 
tacks were  fasting  and  prayer. 

“ It  is  necessary,”  said  he,  “ to  mortify 
ourselves  even  in  things  which  appear  to 
be  trifles.  It  is  thus  we  become  enabled 
to  encounter  great  combats.”  Thus  was 
our  young  Saint,  at  all  times,  a victim 
offered  in  sacrifice.  Everything  about 
him  clearly  indicated  a renunciation  of  all 
this  wTorld’s  comforts.  His  raiment  was 
simple ; the  furniture  of  his  chamber 
consisted  of  a poor  bed  and  a few  books ; 
he  denied  himself  the  most  innocent 
amusement;  he  interdicted  himself  even 
such  recreation  as  is  allowed  for  the  re- 
laxation of  soul  and  body ; every  hour  he 
could  spare  was  passed  in  the  hospitals, 
and  in  occasionally  making  pilgrimages 
to  the  churches  most  frequented  in  Home, 
[6] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

such  as  the  Lateral,  St.  Mary  (the  Great* 
er),  Holy  Cross,  St.  Laurence,  St.  Paul, 
and  St.  Sebastian 

As  soon  as  Philip  Neri  had  completed 
the  theological  course,  he  studied  Scrip- 
ture and  the  Holy  Fathers,  and  made 
such  remarkable  advances  in  these 
sciences  that  the  celebrated  Cardinal 
Baronius  did  not  hesitate  to  regard  our 
Saint  as  one  of  the  most  learned  men  of 
the  age.  But  his  humility  concealed 
much  of  his  merits  from  men’s  eyes.  What 
cared  he  for  glory  ? All  he  desired  was 
to  possess  Jesus  Christ.  In  fact,  that  he 
might  unite  himself  still  more  intimately 
with  his  divine  Master,  he  renounced  the 
study  of  literature.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
three  years,  he  sold  his  books,  and  gave 
the  price  of  them  to  the  poor. 

Having  now  no  other  occupation  than 
that  of  serving  God,  he  abandoned  him- 
[7] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

self  wholly  to  prayer.  The  joys  that  he 
sometimes  experienced  in  this  holy  exer- 
cise pressed  from  out  of  his  heart  fiery 
exclamations  of  love.  “ Enough,  O Lord  !” 
he  would  say ; “ suspend,  for  a while,  the 
torrent  of  thy  consolations.  Depart  from 
me,  O Lord!  depart  from  me;  I am  a 
mortal  man,  and  consequently  incapable 
of  bearing  such  an  abundance  of  heaven- 
ly delights.”  He  was  frequently  heard 
to  repeat : u O my  God ! since  thou  art  so 
amiable,  why  hast  thou  not  given  me  a 
heart  only  to  love  thee  ? or  why  is  this 
heart  so  small  and  so  circumscribed  ?” 

Such  was  Philip’s  burning  charity  that 
he  could  not  look  at  a crucifix  without 
shedding  copious  tears.  “ Oh  !”  he  would 
exclaim,  “ how  can  man  consent  to  outrage 
God,  who  owes  nothing  to  him,  and  has 
given  him  everything— *-a  God  who,  for 

love  of  us,  has  suffered  such  insults,  even 
[81 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERL 


to  the  shedding  the  last  drop  of  his 
blood  r 

Oh  ! how  admirable  was  the  life  of 
this  young  man  ! Though  living  in  the 
midst  of  the  world)  he  was  not  of  it,  foi 
he  communed  incessantly  with  heaven ! 
His  was  the  life  of  a hermit  amidst  all  the 
dissipations  of  Rome.  The  votaries  of 
pleasure  sought  their  merry-makings,  and 
Philip  prayed  in  the  recesses  of  the 
churches.  The  ambitious,  occupied  with 
their  pursuits,  thought  of  nothing  but 
their  speculations  and  money,  whilst 
Philip  spent  his  time  before  the  image  of 
the  Crucified,  or  in  the  silence  of  some 
oratory,  begging  of  God  no  other  treasure 
than  charity;  no  other  wealth  than  the 
possession  of  grace ; and  no  greater  bless- 
ing than  to  love  still  more  fervently. 
“ Ah  ! ” he  would  exclaim,  “ what  is  the 
world  to  me  ? What  are  its  goods  to 
r»i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  HEEI. 

me  ? What  can  its  pleasures  give  me 
compared  to  the  happiness  I experience  in 
immolating  myself  to  my  God  ? ” 

Philip  Neri  entertained  the  most  ten- 
der devotion  for  the  adorable  sacrament 
of  the  Eucharist.  He  often  passed  whole 
nights  at  the  foot  of  the  altar.  u Sacra- 
ment  of  my  God,”  he  was  wont  to  say, 
“ how  I love  to  be  near  you  1 Oh  ! how 
necessary  art  thou  to  my  heart ! What 
pure  and  tender  sentiments  thou  excitest 
in  my  soul ! What  holy  joys  ! Ah  ! 
thou  art  my  all,  my  God.  In  thee  is  all 
good,  in  thee  is  all  love.  . . . Great  God, 
hear  my  prayers  ; cause  me  to  expire  of 
love  before  thy  tabernacles.” 

Thus  lived  Philip  on  chis  earth,  an 
exile  ever  weeping  for  the  heavenly  land. 
His  soul  was  not  here,  and  he  yearned 
for  the  moment  when  it  was  to  leave  its 
prison-house,  and  lose  itself  in  the  bosom 
[101 


THE  LIFE  OF  SI.  PHILIP  NERL 

of  infinite  goodness.  He  was  accustomed 
to  say  that  a man  who  loves  God 
truly  must  find  life  insupportable,  and 
that  such  a man  can  find  consolation 
only  in  doing  the  will  of  Heaven,  and 
making  himself  a faithful  copy  of  the 
image  of  the  Saviour  who  suffered  for  us. 
To  this  he  added  the  sentiment  of  St. 
Paul,  namely,  that,  while  we  are  here  be- 
low,  we  can  labor  for  the  glory  of  God, 
and  bring  about  the  conversion  of  souls. 
The  Saint  was  animated  by  St.  Paul’s 
zeal,  and  often  and  often  went  into  the 
public  thoroughfares  that  he  might  pre- 
vent sin,  and,  on  all  occasions,  do  his  best 
to  win  souls  to  Jesus  Christ, 

His  love  of  the  poor  kept  pace  with 
his  love  of  God.  Often  and  often  might 
he  be  seen  in  the  hospitals,  or  in  the  sad 
retreats  of  misery,  consoling  the  indigent, 
exhausting  himself  on  them,  begging  to 
mi 


ft 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  STEEL 

relieve  their  necessities,  and  always  pour* 
ing  the  balm  of  hope  into  their  hearts. 

But  his  ardent  charity  was  not  to  be 
circumscribed  by  such  limits  as  these : he 
would  do  more  to  succor  the  suffering 
members  of  Jesus  Christ.  Whilst  seeing 
how  indifferently  the  sick  poor  were 
treated,  he  could  not  refrain  from  shed- 
ding tears.  He  then  conceived  the  de- 
sign of  reviving  a practice  conformable  to 
the  spirit  of  Christianity,  and  in  every 
way  calculated  to  rekindle  charity.  This 
led  him  to  establish  the  Confraternity  of 
the  Most  Holy  Trinity  at  Rome.  In 
1548,  he  commenced  this  charitable  foun- 
dation. Fourteen  persons  were  associated 
with  him  in  this  good  work.  He  pro- 
vided all  the  regulations  in  an  admirable 
manner : he  instructed  the  associates  how 
they  should  receive  and  treat  the  sick — 
nay,  and  instruct  them  in  the  knowledge 
[12] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

of  God  ; and  these  provisions  were  meant 
likewise  for  pilgrims  and  convalescents 
who  needed  spiritual  information.  He 
himself  preached  to  them ; every  day  he 
held  spiritual  conferences,  which  were 
often  prolonged  till  night ; and  in  an  in- 
credibly short  time  the  zeal  of  our  Saint 
produced  marvellous  results.  Multitudes 
of  sinners  were  converted.  Some  of  them, 
guided  by  our  Saint,  who  was  a laic,  laid 
the  foundations  of  such  wonderful  piety 
that  at  a later  period  they  themselves 
were  regarded  as  saints. 

In  the  year  1550,  St.  Philip  transferred 
his  confraternity  to  the  Church  of  the 
Holy  Trinity.  The  associates  gave  it  this 
name,  for  hitherto  it  had  been  called  the 
Church  of  St.  Benedict.  In  1558,  Paul 
IV.  made  the  confraternity  a present  of 
this  grand  church.  Philip  built  an  hos- 
pital beside  it,  and  this  has,  since  his 
U3] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERL 

time,  been  considerably  enlarged,  and  is 
now  one  of  the  most  flourishing  and  best 
regulated  establishments  in  Christendom. 
The  sick,  the  poor,  and  the  pilgrims  are 
there  provided  for *and  attended  to  by 
persons  of  every  condition.  The  noblesse 
of  Home  deem  it  an  honor  to  be  associat- 
ed in  these  pious  works. 

Meanwhile,  our  Saint  did  not  content 
himself  with  visiting  the  sick  and  poor  in 
his  hospital : he  resolved  on  going  to  look 
after  those  who  were  scattered  through 
the  various  quarters  of  the  city.;  and 
when  the  day  was  not  sufficient  for  the 
accomplishment  of  those  labors,  he  con- 
tinued them  through  the  night ; and  this 
aided  him  still  more  in  concealing  his  ar 
dent  charity  from  the  eyes  of  man.  On 
one  occasion,  going  to  a sick  person  with 
alms,  and  desiring  to  be  perfectly  un- 
known, he  chose  for  this  purpose  a veiy 

[14] 


r 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

dark  night.  Not  being  able  to  see  his 
way,  he  stumbled  and  fell  into  a deep  pit, 
out  of  which  he  could  scarcely  drag  him- 
self ; but  God  watched  over  him,  and  he 
was  not  hurt  by  his  fall. 

Had  our  Saint  followed  the  suggestions 
of  his  own  humility,  he  would  have  pass- 
ed all  his  life  in  the  state  of  a laic;  but 
his  confessor  obliged  him  to  enter  the 
ecclesiastical  state,  that  he  might  more 
especially  serve  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ.  He  received  the  order  of  priest- 
hood in  the  month  of  June,  1551,  having 
then  nearly  accomplished  his  thirty-sixth 
year.  After  his  ordination,  he  retired  into 
the  Community  of  the  Priests  of  St. 
Jerome,  a community  far  famed  for  its 
high  merits.  In  this  community,  each 
priest  took  his  meals  alone,  and  practised 
such  fasts  as  were  proportioned  to  his 
strength  and  devotion.  Philip  now  re* 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NEKI. 

laxed  somewhat  the  austerities  to  which 
he  had  been  accustomed,  for  he  had 
reason  to  apprehend  that  his  strength 
must  become  completely  prostrated  if  he 
persevered  in  such  mortifications.  Each 
morning,  therefore,  he  made  a slight  re- 
past, and  at  night-time  he  took  some 
eggs,  or  soup,  or  lettuces ; he  very  seldom 
allowed  himself  meat  or  fish.  When  he 
sat  at  table  with  strangers,  he  accepted 
whatever  was  offered  to  him,  in  order  to 
avoid  singularity,  but  he  always  restricted 
himself  to  one  dish.  Those  who  saw  him 
eat  believed  that  the  sense  of  taste  was 
extinguished  in  him. 

Philip  Neri  seemed  not  to  live  on  earth, 
but  in  heaven,  and  God  was  ever  in  com- 
munioation  with  his  holy  servant,  bestow~- 
ing  on  him  special  graces  and  consola- 
tions. The  day  that  he  celebrated  his 
first  Mass,  he  wTas  so  profoundly  impress- 
[16] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

ed  by  respect  for  the  holy  mysteries  that 
his  hands  and  whole  body  trembled. 
This  agitation  was  particularly  remarkable 
at  the  consecration  and  communion.  It 
was  no  rare  occurrence,  at  these  moments 
of  the  Holy  Sacrifice,  to  see  his  body  giv- 
ing out  rays  of  light,  whilst  he  stood  all 
immovable,  and  absorbed  in  ecstasy  for 
hours. 

A short  time  after  St.  Philip’s  ordina- 
tion, his  superiors  ordered  him  to  hear  the 
confessions  of  the  faithful.  No  one  was 
more  deeply  skilled  in  the  knowledge  of 
the  human  heart,  and  consequently  none 
could  have  been  better  suited  for  fulfill- 
ing this  important  part  of  the  ministry. 
To  this,  therefore  lie  devoted  himself 
zealously.  He  passed  whole  days  hearing 
confessions.  He  implored  the  Lord  to 
send  the  greatest  sinners  to  him.  Their 
conversion  seemed  to  be  accomplished  ar 
rm 


THE  LIFE  OF  bT.  PHILIP  NERL 

soon  as  the  Saint  began  to  confer  with 
them.  So  much  so  that  many  kept  out 
of  his  way,  rather  than  be  obliged  to 
abandon  their  depraved  habits;  but 
Philip  never  ceased  to  pray  for  such 
hardened  sinners,  and  from  time  to  time 
he  had  the  consolation  of  seeing  some  of 
them  approach  to  obtain  the  grace  of  con- 
ciliation. On  one  occasion,  he  met  a Jew, 
and  felt  himself  penetrated  with  a lively 
sentiment  of  compassion  for  the  unhappy 
man.  For  three  weeks  he  ceased  not  to 
pray  and  weep  for  him,  till  at  last  he  had 
the  happiness  of  baptizing  him.  In  order 
to  keep  those  whom  he  had  converted  in 
the  state  of  grace,  he  counselled  them, 
above  all  things,  to  keep  ever  before  their 
minds  the  thought  of  eternity,  death,  and 
the  nothingness  of  life. 

His  power  of  exciting  compunction  iu 
his  penitents  was  truly  admirable.  Ho 
[is] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  HE  HI. 

not  only  helped  them  to  discover  their  sins, 
but  he  also  laid  bare  to  them  their  sour- 
ces and  occasions,  that  they  might  after- 
wards know  how  to  guard  themselves. 
Sometimes  he  penetrated  almost  miracu- 
lously into  the  very  abysses  of  the  sin- 
ners heart. 

His  zeal  for  the  conversion  of  souls 
often  caused  him  to  desire  to  go  amongst 
infidels  and  uncivilized  peoples,  and  lay 
down  his  life  for  the  faith.  Those  whom 
he  consulted  on  the  subject  dissuaded 
him,  and  represented  to  him  that  it  was 
the  will  of  God  that  he  should  stay  in 
Kome,  where  there  was  ample  harvest  for 
his  sickle. 

At  .this  time,  he  began  to  receive  in  his 
chamber  those  who  came  to  consult  him. 
Each  day,  he  gave  them  familiar  instruc- 
tion, which  produced  choicest  fruits  ; but 
envy  could  no  longer  bear  the  eclat  of  his 
[191 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

virtues.  Ah!  like  dust,  does  it  not 
attach  itself  to  everything  that  is  holy  in 
our  world  ? The  envious  commenced  by 
ridiculing  the  manner  in  which  he  cele- 
brated  Mass,  as  well  as  his  other  actions, 
and  then  they  called  calumny  to  their  aid 
in  order  to  depreciate  him,  and  tarnish 
his  reputation.  The  Saint  bore  his  trial 
patiently,  and,  far  from  Complaining  or 
seeking  to  defend  himself,  he  rejoiced  to 
find  that  . he  had  become  an  object  of 
raillery  and  contempt.  One  of  his  enemies 
was  so  touched  by  his  sweetness  and 
serenity,  even  whilst  he  was  defaming 
him,  that,  changing  all  on  a sudden,  he 
took  up  his  defence,  and  ever  afterwards 
led  a most  edifying  life.  The  chief  author 
of  all  those  trials  was  converted  by  the 
same  motive.  He  came  to  cast  himself 
at  the  Saint’s  feet,  and  implored  the  par- 
don that  was  freely  given.  Philip  em- 
120] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NEEL 

braced  him  tenderly,  and  had  the  consola- 
tion of  numbering  him  amongst-  his  faith- 
ful children.  This  was  not  the  only  trial 
that  God  sent  him.  He  was  accused  of 
pride  and  ambition,  and  some  there  were 
who  proclaimed  him  a hypocrite  who  was 
playing  a game  to  deceive  the  people,  and 
induce  them  to  follow  him.  The  Vicar 
of  Jesus  Christ,  deceived  by  the  rumors 
that  reached  his  ears,  forbade  Philip 
Neri  to  hear  confessions  for  the  term  of 
fifteen  days,  or  to  preach  until  further 
orders.  Philip  modestly  replied  that  he 
was  ready  to  obey  his  superiors  in  all 
things  that  they  commanded.  At  the 
same  time,  he  pleaded  the  apology  of  his 
very  persecutors,  in  such  sentiments  as 
these : “God,”  said  he  to  his  friends, “has 
permitted  that  I should  be  treated  thus, 
in  order  to  teach  me  that  I should  not  be 
extolled.”  But  the  tempest  was  soon 

fail 


THE  LITE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  KEEI. 


dissipated.  Enquiries  soon  demonstrated 
tlie  Saint’s  innocence,  and  tlie  Sovereign 
Pontiff  permitted  him  to  resume  his 
wonted  course  of  life,  and  to  continue 
his  labors  for  the  conversion  of  sinners 
by  all  the  means  which  his  prudence  sug- 
gested. Thenceforth,  his  chamber  began 
to  be  more  frequented  than  ever  by  the 
most  distinguished  people  of  the  city. 
Every  one  derived  the  greatest  benefits 
from  these  conferences. 

In  these  conferences  of  St.  Philip  Neri 
originated  the  Congregation  of  the  Ora- 
torians  at  Rome.  Young  ecclesiastics  in- 
corporated  themselves  with  him  in  the 
work  of  sanctifying  souls.^  They  aided 
him  in  his  instructions  to  the  people  in 
the  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  and  it 
was  on  this  account  that  these  pious 
priests  took  the  name  of  Oratorians. 

St  Philip  Neri  united  all  those  eccle* 
[22] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  HERI* 

siastics  in  a body  as  his  disciples,  gave 
them  statutes,  and  ordained  that  they 
should  live  in  community,  without,  how- 
ever, binding  themselves  by  any  vow. 

Charity  and  zeal  appeared  to  them  to 
be  links  sufficiently  strong  to  weld  them 
together;  nay,  to  make  the  whole  com- 
munity one  body  and  one  soul.  The 
object  of  this  institution  was,  at  one  and 
the  same  time,  to  instruct  the  ignorant 
and  convert  the  sinful.  The  rule  ordain- 
ed that  the  General  should  be  elected 
every  third  year.  Philip  exercised  this 
function  perpetually,  but  against  his  will. 
He  rid  himself  of  the  burden  in  1595, 
alleging  that  it  had  now  become  too 
heavy  for  him,  on  account  of  his  advanced 
age  and  infirmities.  His  successor  was 
the  celebrated  Cardinal  Baronius,  who, 
with  great  difficulty,  was  induced  to  take 
the  high  office  on  him. 

[23] 


- 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  HER L 

St.  Philip,  who  dated  the  establish- 
ment of  his  Oratory  in  1564.  obtained  its 
approval  in  1575  from  Gregory  XIII.  Its 
constitutions  were  subsequently  confirm- 
ed by  Paul  V.,  in  1612.  Gregory  XIII. 
gave  to  our  Saint  the  Church  of  Our  Lady 
( de  Vallicella) , which , as  it  was  rebuilt  by 
able  architects,  is  now  called  the  New 
Church  ( Chiesa  nuova ).  Our  Saint  took 
possession  of  it  in  the  year  1583.  This 
did  not  prevent  his  disciples  from  con- 
tinuing to  serve  the  Hospital  of  the  Pil- 
grims {della  Santa  Trinita ). 

The  Congregation  of  the  Oratorians  in- 
creased greatly  even  during  the  lifetime 
of  its  founder,  who  saw  various  branches 
of  it  extended  to  Florence,  Naples,  San 
Severino,  Lucca,  Palermo,  Padua,  Ferrara, 
Thonon,  etc.,  etc. 

The  Saint  was  ever  anxious  to  infuse 
into  his  disciples  a spirit  of  obedience  and 

[24] 


4- 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

8elf-renouncement;  “ It  is,”  he  said  to 
them,  “ the  surest  way  to  arrive  at  perfec- 
tion.” 

The  great  virtues  of  Philip  Neri  caused 
him  to  be  loved  by  Popes  Pius  IV.,  Pius 
V.,  Gregory  XIII.,  Gregory  XIV.,  Clement 
VII.,  and  by  many  other  illustrious  men, 
and  particularly  by  St.  Charles  Borromeo. 

It  is  related  that,  being  attacked  by  a 
virulent  fever  towards  the  decline  of  his 
days,  he  recovered  miraculously.  He  fell 
into  an  ecstasy  during  a vision  in  which 
the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  appeared  to  him 
and  he  was  heard  to  exclaim,  “ O most 
holy  Mother  of  God  ! what  have  I done 
that  thou  deignest  to  visit  me  ?”  An 
instant  afterwards,  he  said  to  four  medi- 
- cal  men  who  were  in  his  chamber,  “ Have 
ye  not  seen  the  blessed  Mother  of  God, 
. who  cured  me  by  her  visit  ?”  But  reflect- 
ing that  he  had  divulged  the  vision  with 

[25] 


THE  LITE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  HERI. 

which  he  had  been  favored,  he  besought 
all  there  present  to  preserve  inviolable 
secrecy.  Daring  his  illness,  Philip  suffer- 
ed much  without  murmuring  or  manifest- 
ing  the  slightest  impatience.  He  repeated, 
from  time  to  time,  “Lord,  augment  my 
sufferings,  provided  thou  dost  augment 
my  patience  in  proportion  !” 

St.  Philip  was  of  very  delicate  constitu- 
tion, and  there  scarcely  passed  any  year 
that  he  was  not  attacked  by  fevers,  which 
lasted  a long  time  ; nevertheless  he  arriv- 
ed at  a great  old  age.  In  the  month  of 
May,  1595,  he  was  seized  with  a vomit- 
ing of  blood  which  threatened  fatal 
results.  Baronius  administered  Extreme 
Unction ; and  as  soon  as  the  hemorrhage 
ceased,  Cardinal  Frederic  Borromeo  ad- 
ministered the  viaticum  to  our  Saint. 
When  he  saw  the  Cardinal  entering  his 
chamber  with  the  holy  sacrament,  he  ex- 
[26] 


i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NEBI. 

claimed,  while  his  tears  flowed  copiously, 
lL  Here  is  he  whom  I love.  He  who  is 
the  delight  of  my  soul  cometh  to  me  ! 
Give  me  him  whom  I love !”  He  joined 
the  Cardinal  in  the  liveliest  sentiments 
of  fervor,  reciting  with  him,  “Domine 
non  sum  dignus,  etc.,”  and  then  added — 
u No,  my  God,  I am  not  and  never  was 
worthy  to  be  nourished  by  thy  adorable 
body  and  blood.”  When  he  had  receiv- 
ed the  communion,  he  said,  “ I have  now 
dwelling  in  the  domicile  of  my  heart  him 
who  is  my  true  Physician.”  He  recom- 
mended the  community  to  offer  many 
Masses  for  his  intention,  and  in  about 
two  or  three  days  he  appeared  perfectly 
recovered,  so  much  so  as  to  be  able  to 
offer  the  holy  sacrifice,  and  hear  the  con- 
fessions of  the  faithful.  But  his  recovery 
was  not  to  be  of  long  duration.  He  fore- 
told the  hour  of  his  death,  which  he 
[271 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  K'EEI. 

awaited  with  impatience,  counting  all  the 
instants  which  still  had  to  pass.  Being 
once  more  seized  with  the  hemorrhage, 
Baronius  recited  the  prayers  of  the  dy- 
ing, and,  during  this  pious  function,  he 
tranquilly  resigned  his  spirit,  May  26, 
1595,  being  then  more  than  eighty  years 
of  age. 

u Blessed,”  exclaims  a pious  author, 
whose  words  are  most  appropriate  here, 
“is  he  who  dies  in  the  love  of  his  God, 
and  who  sleeps  tranquilly  in  the  prayers 
of  the  Church  ! He  shall  aw*ake  in  the 
light  of  God,  and  arise  in  the  splendors 
of  heaven’s  glory.” 

The  death  of  the  just  is  a benediction 
for  the  world,  and  a consolation  for  the 
Church;  for,  in  augmenting  the  number 
of  the  elect,  it  increasetli  the  multitude 
of  holy  intercessors,  and  increaseth,  like- 
wise, the  sum  of  the  merits  which  enrich 
[28J 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

the.  spouse  of  Christ.  There  is  a holy 
calm  in  the  features  of  the  just  man  when 
dying;  and  his  soul  seems  to  bequeath 
to  his  countenance  a reflection  of  his 
justice  and  innocence. 

St.  Philip’s  death  was  looked  on  as 
that  of  a saint.  Every  one  deemed  it  an 
honor  to  have  known  him  ; all  were  anx- 
ious to  be  possessed  of  something  that 
had  belonged  to  him — every  one  would 
fain  have  some  souvenir  of  the  holy 
deceased.  His  body  was  opened ; his 
heart  and  entrails  were  interred  in  a 
place  which  had  been  chosen  for  the 
sepulture  of  the  Oratorians;  his  body 
was  enclosed  in  a coffin,  and  seven  years 
afterwards  it  exhibited  no  signs  of  decay. 

Many  miracles  were  wrought  at  the 
tomb  of  the  Saint,  who  was  canonized  by 
Gregory  XV.,  in  1622. 

We  have  seen  that  St.  Philip  founded 

[29] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  ]STERI. 

a congregation  in  Italy,  to  which  lie  gave 
tlie  name  of  Oratorians.  This  congrega- 
tion, composed  of  secular  priests  who 
lived  in  community,  continued  to  flourish 
after  the  death  of  its  holy  founder,  and 
produced  a multitude  of  men  far-famed 
for  their  learning  and  virtues.  Devoting 
themselves  to  the  instruction  of  youth, 
and  to  the  most  laborious  functions  of 
the  holy  ministry,  they  have  rendered 
most  eminent  services  to  the  Church. 

But  it  was  not  Italy  alone  that  reaped 
the  fruits  of  this  grand  institution  : France 
also  had  its  Oratorians. 

The  Oratory  in  France  was  founded  in 
1011  by  the  learned  and  pious  Cardinal 
Peter  deBerulle,  at  the  instance  of  St.  Fran- 
cis de  Sales  and  of  some  other  eminent 
personages.  It  differed  in  many  points 
from  that  of  Italy,  although  it  had  been 
instituted  on  the  same  basis.  Let  us 

[30] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  HEEI. 

hear  Bossuet,  speaking  of  the  Oratorians 
and  their  Founder  : u At  this  period, 
Feter  de  Berulle,  a truly  illustrious  and 
commendable  man,  to  whose  dignity,  I 
*ould  venture  to  say,  the  Roman  purple 
added  nothing — so  distinguished  was  he 
for  his  merits,  virtues,  and  learning — be- 
gan to  shed  on  France  the  purest  and 
sublimest  lights  of  the  Christian  priest- 
hood and  ecclesiastical  life.  His  immense 
love  of  the  Church  inspired  him  with  the 
design  of  forming  a society  to  which  he 
would  impart  no  other  spirit  than  the 
spirit  of  the  Church,  no  other  rules  than 
its  canons,  no  superiors  except  its  bishops, 
no  bonds  save  those  of  charity,  no  solemn 
vows  save  those  of  baptism  and  the 
priesthood.  In  this  society,  holy  liberty 
cemented  a holy  bond ; obedience  was 
prompt  and  voluntary,  and  it  governed 
without  commanding;  all  its  authority 
F31] 


f 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  HEEL 

sprang  from  mildness,  and  won  respect 
for  itself  without  force  or  fear.  Charity 
banished  fear,  and  wrought  this  grand 
miracle ; and  without  any  other  yoke  than 
itself,  it  not  only  captivated,  but  annihi- 
lated, all  sell* will.  There  were  educated 
true  priests  at  the  very  fountain-head  of 
truth.  There  were  such  men  to  be  found 
with  the  sacred  books  in  their  hands  search- 
ing the  letter  by  study,  and,  as  it  were, 
inhaling  the  spirit  by  prayer,  sounding 
the  profundity  of  Holy  Writ  in  silence 
and  retreat,  realizing  its  efficacy  in  prac- 
tice, keeping  always  in  view  that  charity 
which  is  the  end  of  all,  and  which,  accord- 
ing to  Tertullian,  is  ‘ the  only  treasure  of 
a Christian.  ’ ” 

The  Congregation  of  the  Oratory  wa. 
involved  in  the  general  suppression  of  the 
religious  orders  at  the  beginning  of  the 
Grst  French  Revolution.  Amongst  the 

m 


the'  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  HELM. 

other  great  men  it  produced,  we  should 
not  forget  Massillon, 

PEAYEE. 

0 Saint ! thou  furnace  of  charity,  pray 
for  me,  a poor  sinner ; obtain  for  me  that 
I may  loathe  everything  that  is  not  of  God ; 
obtain  for  me  that  spirit  of  prayer,  morti- 
fication, and  penance  with  which  thy 
heart  was  filled ; obtain  for  me  the  death 
of  the  just,  that  I may  be  enabled  to 
chant,  with  thee,  the  mercies  of  God  in 
his  never-ending  kingdom. 


MAXIMS  AND  SAYINGS  OF  ST. 
PHILIP  NERI. 

We  must  not  be  behind-time  in  doing 
good ; for  Death  will  not  be  behind  his 
time. 

[33] 


—4 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NEBI. 

Happy  is  the  youth,  because  he  has 
time  before  him  to  do  good. 

It  is  well  to  choose  some  one  good  de- 
votion, and  to  stick  to  it,  and  never  to 
abandon  it. 

He  who  wishes  for  anything  but  Christ 
does  not  know  what  he  wishes ; he  who 
asks  for  anything  but  Christ  does  not 
know  what  he  is  asking ; he  who  works, 
and  not  for  Christ,  does  not  know  what 
he  is  doing. 

Let  no  one  wear  a mask,  otherwise  he 
will  do  ill  ; and,  if  he  has  one,  let  him 
burn  it, 

Men  should  often  renew  their  good  re- 
solutions, and  not  lose  heart  because  they 
are  tempted  against  them. 

The  name  of  Jesus,  pronounced  with 
reverence  and  affection,  has  a kind  of 
power  to  soften  the  heart. 

There  is  nothing  which  gives  greater 

m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

security  to  our  actions,  or  more  effectually 
cuts  the  snares  the  devil  lays  for  us,  than 
to  follow  another  person’s  will,  rathei 
than  our  own,  in  doing  good. 

Let  persons  in  the  world  sanctify  thenn 
selves  in  their  own  houses,  for  neither  the 
court,  professions,  nor  labor  are  any  hin- 
drance to  the  service  of  God. 

Our  Blessed  Lady  ought  to  be  our  love 
and  our  consolation. 

The  most  beautiful  prayer  we  can  make 
is  to  say  to  God,  “ As  thou  knowest  and 
wiliest,  O Lord  ! so  do  thou  with  me.v 

When  tribulations,  infirmities,  and  con- 
tradictions come,  we  must  not  run  away 
in  a fright,  but  vanquish  them  like  men. 

In  dealing  with  our  neighbor,  we  must 
assume  as  much  pleasantness  of  manner 
as  we  can,  and  by  this  affability  win  him 
to  the  way  of  virtue. 

To  mortify  one  passion,  no  matter  how 
[35] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

small,  is  a greater  help  in  the  spiritual 
life  than  many  abstinences,  fasts,  and  dis- 
cipline. 

We  must  accept  the  adversities  which 
God  sends  us  without  reasoning  too  much 
upon  them,  and  we  must  take  for  granted 
that  it  is  the  best  thing  which  could 
happen  to  us. 

Let  a man  frequent  the  Holy  Sacra- 
ments, go  to  sermons,  and  be  often  reading 
the  lives  of  saints. 

When  a man  is  in  an  occasion  of  sin, 
let  him  look  what  he  is  doing,  get  him- 
self out  of  the  occasion,  and  avoid  the 
sin. 

We  must  die  at  last. 

He  who  does  not  go  down  into  hell 
while  he  is  alive  runs  a great  risk  of 
going  there  after  he  is  dead. 

The  greatest  help  to  perseverance  in 
the  spiritual  life  is  the  habit  of  prayer, 

[36] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NEEI. 

especially  under  the  direction  of  our  con- 
fessor. 

An  excellent  method  of  preserving  our- 
selves from  relapsing  into  serious  faults 
is  to  say  every  evening,  u To-morrow  I 
may  be  dead.” 

A man  without  prayer  is  an  animal 
without  the  use  of  reason. 

The  religious  state  is  indeed  the  high- 
est,  but  it  is  not  suitable  for  all. 

The  wisdom  of  the  Scriptures  is  learned 
rather  by  prayer  than  by  study. 

Let  women  remain  in-doors,  and  look 
after  their  families,  and  not  be  desirous 
of  going  into  public. 

It  is  God’s  custom  to  interweave  human 
life  with  a trouble  and  a consolation,  at 
least  of  an  interior  sort,  alternately. 

To  be  without  pity  for  other  men’s 
falls  is  an  evident  sign  that  we  shall  fall 
ourselves  shortly. 

[371 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NEEL 

111  order  to  begin  well,  and  to  finish 
better,  it  is  quite  necessary  to  hear  Mass 
every  day,  unless  there  be  some  lawful 
hindrance  in  the  way. 

Buffoonery  incapacitates  a person  from 
receiving  any  additional  spirituality  from 
God. 

They  who  have  been  exercised  in  the 
service  of  God  for  a long  time  may  in 
their  prayers  imagine  all  sorts  of  insults 
offered  to  them,  such  as  blows,  wounds, 
and  the  like,  and  so,  in  order  to  imitate 
Christ  by  their  charity,  may  accustom 
their  hearts  beforehand  to  forgive  real 
injuries  when  they  come. 

We  ought  to  desire  the  virtues  of  pre- 
lates, cardinals,  and  popes,  but  not  their 
dignities. 

The  skin  of  self-love  is  fastened  strong- 
ly  on  our  hearts,  and  it  hurts  us  to  flay 
it  off,  and  the  more  we  get  down  to 
[38] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 


the  quick,  the  more  keen  and  difficult 
it  is. 

It  is  very  useful  for  those  who  minister 
the  Word  of  God,  or  give  themselves  up 
to  prayer,  to  read  the  works  of  authors 
whose  names  begin  wdth  S,  such  as  Saint 
Augustine,  Saint  Bernard,  etc. 

There  is  no  surer  or  clearer  proof  of 
the  love  of  God  than  adversity. 

To  obtain  the  protection  of  Our  Blessed 
Lady  in  our  most  urgent  wants,  it  is  very 
useful  to  say  sixty-three  times,  after  the 
fashion  of  a rosary,  u Virgin  Mary,  Mother 
of  God,  pray  to  Jesus  for  me.” 

The  things  of  this  world  do  not  remain 
constantly  with  us ; for,  if  we  do  not  leave 
them  before  we  actually  die,  in  death  at 
least  we  all  infallibly  depart  as  empty! 
handed  as  we  came. 

To  pray  well  requires  the  whole 
man. 


rso] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

He  who  runs  away  from  one  cross  will 
meet  a bigger  one  on  the  road. 

Never  let  a sick  man  set  himself  to 
reason  with  the  devil,  otherwise  he  will 
inevitably  be  taken  in ; let  him  appeal  to 
his  ghostly  father,  of  whom  the  devil 
stands  in  mortal  fear. 

As  soon  as  we  are  stripped  of  the  sor- 
did garb  of  avarice,  we  shall  be  clothed 
with  the  royal  and  imperial  vest  of  the 
opposite  virtue,  liberality. 

We  must  accept  our  own  death  and 
that  of  our  relations  when  God  shall  send 
it  to  us,  and  not  desire  it  at  any  other 
time ; for  it  is  sometimes  necessary  that 
it  should  happen  at  that  particular  mo- 
ment for  the  good  of  our  own  and  their 
souls. 

As  for  those  who  run  after  visions, 
dreams,  and  the  like,  we  must  lay  hold 
of  them  by  the  feet,  and  pull  them  to  the 

[401 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERL 

ground  by  force,  lest  they  should  fall  into 
the  devil’s  net. 

There  is  nothing  more  displeasing  to 
God  than  our  being  inflated  with  self- 
esteem. 

When  a man  falls  into  any  bodily  infir- 
mity, he  must  lie  and  think,  and  say, 
“ God  has  sent  me  this  sickness  because 
he  wishes  something  of  me  ; I must  there- 
fore make  up  my  mind  to  change  my  life, 
and  become  better.” 

When  a man  has  a tribulation  sent 
him  from  God,  and  is  impatient,  we  may 
say  to  him,  “You  are  not  worthy  that 
God  should  visit  you ; you  do  not  deserve 
so  great  a good.” 

Let  us  throw  ourselves  into  the  arms 
of  God,  and  be  sure  that,  if  he  wishes 
anything  of  us,  he  will  make  us  good  for 
all  he  desires  us  to  do  for  him. 

Idleness  is  a pestilence  to  a Christian 

[41] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

man ; we  ought  always,  therefore,  to  be 
doing  something,  especially  when  we  are 
alone  in  our  rooms,  lest  the  devil  should' 
come  in  and  catch  U3  idle. 

We  ought  always  to  be  afraid,  and 
never  put  any  confidence  in  ourselves ; 
for  the  devil  assaults  ns  on  a sudden,  and 
darkens  our  understanding ; and  he  who 
does  not  live  in  fear  is  overcome  in  a 
moment,  because  he  has  not  the  help  of 
the  Lord. 

The  relics  of  the  saints  ought  to  be 
venerated,  and  we  may  laudably  keep 
them  in  our  room;  but  it  is  not  well, 
unless  for  some  grave  occasion,  to  wear 
them  on  our  persons,  because  it  will 
often  happen  then  that  they  are  not 
treated  with  all  the  respect  which  is  be- 
coming. 

Tribulations,  if  we  bear  them  patiently 
for  the  love  of  God,  appear  bitter  at  first, 

m 


TILE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

• 

but  they  grow  sweet  when  one  gets 
accustomed  to  the  taste. 

"When  the  soul  lies  resignedly  in  the 
hands  of  God,  and  is  contented  with  the 
divine  pleasure,  it  is  in  good  hands,  and 
ha3  the  best  security  that  good  will 
happen  to  it. 

To  be  entirely  conformed  and  resigned 
to  the  divine  will  is  truly  a road  in 
which  we  cannot  get  wrong,  and  is  the 
only  road  which  leads  us  to  taste  and 
enjoy  that  peace  which  sensual  and  earth- 
ly men  know  nothing  of. 

Resignation  is  all  in  all  to  the  sick 
man ; he  ought  to  say  to  God,  “ Lord, 
if  you  want  me,  here  I am,  although  I 
have  never  done  any  good  : do  with  me 
what  you  will.” 

Never  make  a noise  of  any  sort  in 
church,  except  for  the  greatest  necessity. 

When  seculars  have  once  chosen  their 
[43] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  KEEI. 

secular  state,  let  them  persevere  in  it,  and 
in  the  devout  exercises  which  they  have 
begun,  and  in  their  works  of  charity,  and 
they  shall  have  contentment  at  their 
death. 

Frequent  confession  is  the  cause  of 
great  good  to  the  soul,  because  it  purities 
it,  heals  it,  and  confirms  it  in  the  service 
of  God  ; we  ought  not,  therefore,  to  omit 
confession  on  our  fixed  days  for  any 
business  whatsoever ; but  go  to  confession 
first,  and  to  business  afterwards,  and  the 
first  will  help  the  last. 

Give  me  ten  men  really  detached  from 
the  world,  and  I have  the  heart  to  believe 
I could  convert  the  world  with  them. 

The  mole  is  a blind  rat  which  always 
stays  in  the  ground ; it  eats  earth,  and 
hollows  it  out,  but  is  never  satisfied  with 
it : so  is  the  avaricious  man  or  woman. 

When  a man  has  to  buy  anything,  he 
T44I 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PHILIP  NERI. 

ought  not  to  do  so  "because  he  is  moved 
by  an  attachment  to  the  thing,  but  from 
want  and  necessity ; for  it  will  never  do 
to  buy  attachments. 

Let  young  men  be  cheerful,  and  indulge 
in  the  recreations  proper  to  their  age, 
pi\)vided  they  keep  out  of  the  way  of  gin* 


St.  Maurice  and  His  Companions, 

MARTYRS. 


rj^HE  Emperor  Maxi  mien,  having  passed 
into  Gaul  to  suppress  a revolution, 
found  it  necessary  to  reinforce  his  army, 
and  for  that  purpose  brought  along  with 
him  a legion  that  had  been  raised  in  Upper 
Egypt  (Thebais),  and  which,  on  that 
account,  was  called  the  Theban  Legion. 
It  was  entirely  composed  of  soldiers  who 
believed  in  Jesus  Christ ; and  it  is  proba- 
ble that  St.  Maurice,  who  commanded  it, 
excluded  every  one  who  was  not  a Chris- 
tian from  its  ranks.  It  ought  not  to  create 
surprise  if  we  find  an  entire  Christian 
legion  in  the  service  of  such  persecutors 
[i] 


ST.  MAUKICE  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS. 

as  Diocletian  and  Maximien,  when  we 
reflect  that  the  former,  at  the  commence- 
ment of  his  reign,  was  no  enemy  to  those 
who  believed  in  our  Lord.  In  fact,  at 
that  period,  many  Christians  held  distin- 
guished places  in  his  court.  Withal,  the 
various  subaltern  governors  and  people 
did  not  cease  to  persecute  the  Christians. 
As  to  Maximien,  he  was  always  implacable, 
and  never  ceased  to  shed  Christian  blood. 

After  a painful  march  across  the  Alps, 
the  Roman  army  halted  at  a place  now 
called  Martigny,  near  the  Lake  of  Geneva ; 
and  Maximien  commanded  that  the  whole 
force  should  offer  sacrifice  to  the  gods, 
that  they  might  grant  success  to  the 
Roman  arms.  The  Theban  Legion 
being  encamped  nine  miles  from  Martigny, 
the  emperor  ordered  it  to  come  and  join 
the  rest  of  his  army  in  offering  the  sacri- 
fice. Every  man  of  this  corps  steadily 

m 


i. 


ST.  MAURICE  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS. 

refused  fc)  liave  anv  Land  in  tLe  samlet 
ions  ceremony,  and  tLe  emperor  decreed 
tLat  tLe  Legion  sLould  be  decimated.  His 
orders  were  carried  out  instantly ; those 
wdio  witnessed  the  slaughter  of  their 
companions  remained  unshaken,  and  ex- 
horted each  other  to  persevere  firmly  in 
the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  first 
decimation  was  followed  by  a second, 
but  all  to  no  purpose,  for  Maurice, 
Exuperius,  and  Candid  us,  the  principal 
officers,  exhorted  their  men  to  die  rather 
than  deny  the  Lord  their  God. 

The  emperor,  threatening  to  destroy 
all  the  survivors  of  this  grand  body  of 
Christians,  received  this  answer  from 
them:  “We  are  your  soldiers,  but,  at 
the  same  time,  we  are  the  servants  of  the 
true  God.  We  owe  you  allegiance,  but 
we  cannot  renounce  Him  who  is  our 
Creator  and  yours,  though  you  deny  it. 

ra 


- 


4 


ST.  MAURICE  AND  IIXS  COMPANIONS. 

We  could  no£  be  faithful  to  you  if  we 
were  unfaithful  to  our  God.  We  have  seen 
our  companions  massacred  without  mur- 
muring ; nay,  we  rejoiced  rather  that  they 
had  the  happiness  of  dyingfor  their  faith.” 
The  Legion  was  composed  of  ten  thou- 
sand men,  and  such  a host  might  have  sold 
their  lives  dearly,  but  they  knew  how 
to  give  to  Caesar  what  was  Caesar’s,  and 
to  God  what  was  God’s ; for  this  reason 
they  did  not  avail  themselves  of  their 
arms.  The  survivors  were  then  sur- 
rounded by  the  whole  army,  and  were  all 
put  to  the  sword.  The  Thebans  hung 
away  their  arms  and  cuirasses,  and  re- 
joiced that  they  were  permitted  to  die 
for  the  honor  of  Jesus.  During  the  mas- 
sacre, a veteran  soldier  named  Victor 
approached,  and  being  asked  if  he  was  a 
Christian,  replied : “ Yes ; and  I am  pre- 
pared to  die  in  that  faith.”  He,  too,  was 
[4] 


ST.  MAURICE  AND  HIS  COMPANIONS. 

blessed  with  the  crown  of  martyrdom. 
The  remains  of  St.  Maurice  and  his  com- 
panions were  discovered  at  Aguane,  and 
on  the  spot  was  built  the  monastery  of 
St.  Maurice.  The  Cathedral  of  Sion  has 
a magnificent  chapel  under  the  invocation 
of  the  Saint,  who  is  now  the  patron  of 
the  Valais. 


PRAYER. 

Blessed  and  glorious  martyrs,  beseech 
the  God  of  armies  to  grant  us  courage 
and  perseverance  against  all.  the  enemies 
of  the  true  faith ; implore  him  to  give  us 
mildness  and  fortitude  to  confess  him,  de- 
spite all  the  perils  that  environ  us. 


W 


THE  LIFE  OF  SAINT  LUCY, 


MAETYE, 


name  of  St.  Lucy  is  found  in  the 


Canon  of  the  Mass.  She  was  bom 
in  the  city  of  Syracuse,  in  Sicily,  of  a 
noble  family,  and  had  the  happiness  of 
being  brought  up  a Christian.  Having 
lost  her  father  at  a very  early  period, 
her  mother,  Eutyches,  took  charge  of  her 
education.  Nothing  could  excel  the  pro- 
ficiency of  this  tender  child  in  the  love  of 
God  and  of  virtue ; and  to  the  God  who 
was  the  object  of  all  her  desires  she  con- 
secrated her  virginity. 

When  Lucy  arrived  at  a marriageable 
age,  her  mother,  who  knew  nothing  of 
her  vow,  proposed  a spouse  to  her;  but 


[i] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LUCY. 

the  holy  maiden  awaited  a favorable 
opportunity  to  inform  her  parent  of  the 
promise  she  had  made  to  Jesus  Christ. 
Meanwhile,  Lucy’s  mother  was  seized  with 
a dangerous  illness  that  lasted  four  years, 
and  baffled  all  the  skill  of  the  physicians. 
Seeing  this,  the  holy  maiden  advised  her 
mother  to  make  a pilgrimage  to  the  tomb 
of  St.  Agatha  in  Catania,  where  a great 
number  of  miracles  had  been  wrought. 
Mother  and  daughter  now  set  out  for 
Catania,  and  on  arriving  there  they 
hastened  to  prostrate  themselves  at  the 
tomb  of  the  holy  martyr.  Overcome  by 
fatigue,  Lucy  fell  asleep,  and,  whilst  in  this 
state : St.  Agatha  appeared  to  her,  and 
said : “Why  comest  thou  to  me,  Lucy,  to 
ask  a favor  which  thine  own  faith  in 
Jesus  can  easily  obtain  for  thee?  Thou 
hast  done  well  in  consecrating  thyself  to 
him,  and  at  Syracuse  thou  shalt  receive 
\2: 


the  life  of  st.  lucy. 

the  same  honor  that  was  conferred  on  me 
in  Catania.  In  consideration  of  thy  faith, 
thy  mother  is  restored  to  health.” 

The  Saint  now  informed  her  parent  of 
the  vow  she  had  made,  and  requested 
that  she  would  never  name  marriage  to 
her  again.  The  mother,  grateful  to  God 
for  the  cure  so  miraculously  obtained, 
acquiesced  in  her  wishes,  and  thenceforth 
thought  of  nothing  but  the  spiritual 
advancement  of  her  child.  Lucy  now 
demanded  the  dowry  to  which  she  was 
entitled  by  her  father’s  will,  and,  having 
obtained  it,  distributed  her  entire  fortune 
in  alms  to  the  poor. 

A young  man  who  had  been  a suitor 
for  Lucy’s  hand,  finding  that  all  his 
instances  were  fruitless,  now  proceeded  to 
the  governor,  Paschasius,  and  charged  her 
with  being  a Christian.  This  Paschasius 
was  empowered  by  Diocletian  to  execute 
[31 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LUCY. 

his  most  bloody  edicts  against  the 
faithful. 

Arraigned  before  the  governor,  Lucy 
was  told  that  she  must  offer  sacrifice  to 
the  gods.  To  this  she  replied : “ I would 
lay  down  my  life  rather  than  bend  my 
knees  before  your  divinities  of  wood  and 
stone.”  “ I will  punish  you  for  such  lan- 
guagecontinued  the  governor;  “ and  if 
you  do  not  obey  the  emperor’s  edicts,  I 
will  put  you  to  death.”  “ Here,”  replied 
the  young  Christian  heroine,  “ is  my  body, 
prepared  to  suffer  every  sort  of  torment. 
What  hinders  you  ? Delay  not  to  carry 
out  the  promptings  of  the  devil.”  Pas- 
chasius  grew  infuriated,  and  ordered  a 
fire  to  be  lighted,  in  order  to  burn  her 
alive.  “Be  it  so,”  said  Lucy  calmly; 
“ place  me  on  the  pile,  and  I will  beseech 
Jesus  to  protect  me  against  the  flames, 
in  order  that  the  faithful  may  be  con- 
141 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  LUCY. 

firmed,  and  that  the  infidels  may  be  con- 
founded ” 

And  it  happened  as  she  predicted,  for 
the  flames  respected  her  body.  Pascha- 
sius’  counsellors  then  advised  him  to  have 
her  beheaded.  Lucy  knelt,  prayed,  and, 
bowing  her  head  to  the  fatal  sword, 
ascended  to  heaven  to  receive  the  double 
palm  of  virginity  and  martyrdom,  a.d. 
304.  A few  instants  before  her  death, 
she  predicted  that  peace  would  be  soon 
restored  to  the  Church.  This  prediction 
was  verified  by  the  accession  of  Constan- 
tine the  Great. 

St.  Lucy’s  body  was  preserved  for  many 
years  in  Syracuse;  but  it  was  subsequently 
translated  to  Italy.  It  was  afterwards 
brought  to  Metz,  and  enshrined  in  a beauti- 
ful chapel  of  the  Church  of  St.  Vincent.  A 
portion  of  her  sacred  relics  was  for  many 
centuries  venerated  in  Constantinople. 

[5] 


I 


THE  LIFE  OF  SAINT  EDWARD 

KING  OF  ENGLAND. 


j^DWAKD  II.,  son  of  Edgar,  was  only 
thirteen  years  old  when  he  suc- 
ceeded his  father  in  975.  He  was  guided 
in  everything  by  the  counsels  of  St.  Dun- 
stan,  who  officiated  at  his  coronation. 
This  virtuous  prelate,  who  had  already 
by  his  wisdom  guided  Edred  and  Edgai 
in  the  right  path,  showed  himself  truly 
zealous  for  the  young  prince,  ever  and 
always  encouraging  him  to  govern  his 
subjects  as  a king  who  loved  Jesus  Chris 
above  all  earth’s  glories.  Edward  was 
always  remarkable  for  the  sanctity  of  his 
life,  and  for  his  unbounded  charity  to  the 

rn 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  EDWARD. 

poor.  England  was  living  happily  under 
the  sceptre  of  this  good  and  holy  king, 
when  a premature  death  deprived  her  of 
the  pious  Edward. 

Elfrida,  Edward’s  mother-in-law,  was 
opposed  to  his  coronation,  and  had  had 
recourse  to  a thousand  plots  to  raise  her 
son  Ethelred,  who  was  then  only  seven 
years  old,  to  the  throne.  When  her  in- 
trigues failed,  she  resolved  to  destroy 
Edward.  The  young  king,  being  aware 
of  his  mother-in-law’s  hatred,  did  not  on 
that  account  cease  to  manifest  affection 
and  respect  for  her.  To  Ethelred  he 
proved  himself  in  every  respect  a fond 
friend ; but  Elfrida  was  so  blinded  by 
ambition  and  vengeance  that  she  tram- 
pled the  sacred  laws  of  religion  and  na- 
ture under  her  feet. 

After  having  reigned  for  about  three 

years  and  a half,  Edward  was  assassin* 
[2] 


j - 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  EDWAED. 

ated.  He  was  out  one  day  hunting,  and 
while  stopping  at  the  door  of  his  mother- 
in-law’s  castle  in  Dorsetshire,  to  slake  his 
thirst,  he  was  treacherously  wounded  by 
an  assassin  who  lay  in  ambush.  On  re- 
ceiving the  stroke,  he  set  spurs  to  his 
horse,  but  his  bowels  protruded,  and  he 
was  dragged  to  a considerable  distance 
by  his  steed.  His  domestics  tracked  him 
by  the  marks  of  his  blood,  and  carried 
him  to  Wareham,  where  he  was  interred, 
after  all  the  religious  ceremonies  had  beer 
duly  performed. 

Some  years  later,  St.  Dunstan  and  the 
Count  of  Mercia  found  his  remains,  and 
translated  them  to  Shaftesbury,  with  all 
regal  magnificence.  Many  churches  sought 
and  obtained  some  portions  of  his  relics. 
Edward’s  death  occurred  March  8,  the 
day  named  in  the  Roman  Martyrology. 

Meanwhile,  Elfrida,  agonized  by  re- 

IH 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  EDWARD. 

morse  of  conscience,  and  astonished  at  the 
miracles  which  she  saw  wrought  at  St. 
Edward’s  tomb,  determined  to  expiate  her 
name  by  the  most  sincere  repentance. 
She  quitted  the  world,  and  founded  two 
monasteries,  in  one  of  which  she  termin- 
ated the  rest  of  her  life  in  a holy  and 
edifying  manner. 


THE  LIFE 


OP 


ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 


life  of  St.  Francis  of  Assisi  is  the 


condemnation  of  the  wise  ones  of 
the  world  who,  like  the  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles, look  on  the  humility  of  the  cross 
of  Jesus  Christ  as  a scandal  and  a folly. 
Never  did  any  Saint  evince  greater  de- 
tachment from  the  things  of  the  earth, 
and  never  did  any  of  them  walk  more 
closely  in  the  foot-marks  of  the  divine 
Redeemer,  than  this  illustrious  servant 
of  God  whose  life  we  are  about  to  relate. 

Francis  was  born  in  1182  at  Assisi,  a 
town  in  Lombardy,  of  opulent  parents, 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

who  had  a very  considerable  fortune,  and 
maintained  a high  character  for  probity 
and  every  other  virtue.  At  first,  our 
Saint  entertained  tastes  for  the  vain 
amusements  of  the  world  and  its  perish- 
able goods;  but  he  soon  turned  away 
from  the  broad  road  that  leads  to  perdi- 
tion, to  pursue  the  narrow  way ; and,  be- 
fore entering  on  the  latter,  he  had  bound 
himself  by  a vow  to  bestow  alms  on  each 
and  every  one  who  would  crave  them  of 
him  in  the  name  and  for  the  love  of  the 
living  God. 

One  day,  "while  he  was  enjoying  a walk, 
he  encountered  a gentleman  who  had  been 
reduced  to  the  extremest  misery  and  want. 
At  that  moment  Francis  was  sumptuously 
dressed.  Moved  to  tears  by  the  sight 
he  had  witnessed,  he  stripped  himself  of 
his  rich  apparel,  and  exchanged  it  for  the 
rags  that  covered  the  person  of  the  re* 
[21 


THE  LIFE  OF  8T.  FEAFTCIS  OF  ASSISI. 


cVaced  gentleman.  On  another  occasion, 
he  met  a man  covered  with  a horrid 
leprosy.  His  first  sensation  was  one  of 
disgust  and  alarm ; but  soon  recollecting 
himself,  and  by  his  charity  surmounting 
the  weakness  of  nature,  he  embraced  the 
unhappy  leper,  and  bestowed  considerable 
alms  on  him. 

Having  now  made  up  his  mind  to  labor 
to  become  perfect,  he  commenced  visiting 
the  sick  in  the  hospitals,  ministering  to 
them,  consoling  them,  and  dressing  their 
sores  as  those  of  the  very  members  of 
Jesus  Christ.  He  then  made  a pilgrim- 
age to  Rome,  to  visit  the  tombs  of  the 
Apostles,  where  his  heart  was  doubly 
inflamed  with  a new  love  for  the  Cross 
of  Christ. 

Amongst  the  multitude  of  the  poor 
creatures  who  were  begging  at  the  gate 
of  St.  Peter’s  Church,  there  was  one 
m 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

whose  rags  proved  him  to  be  poorer  than 
all  his  fello\v-mendicants.  His  rags  were 
far  more  disgusting  than  those  of  the 
others.  Francis  longed  for  the  clothes 
of  this  wretched  being,  and  on  the  spot 
gave  him  his  own.  Elated  at  the  ex- 
change he  had  made,  nothing  could 
exceed  his  joy  at  being  dressed  in 
the  loathsome  habiliment  of  the  beggar, 
while  the  latter  conld  scarcely  recognize 
himself  in  his  new  apparel.  Thus  dressed 
in  loathsome-  rags,  St.  Francis  proceeded 
to  the  church  sacred  to  Saints  Peter  and 
Paul — two  poor  yet  illustrious  servants 
of  God  who  had  seen  emperors  prostrat- 
ing themselves  at  their  tomb — and  there, 
without  giving  himself  the  least  consid- 
eration about  being  recognized,  he  min- 
gled in  the  crowd  of  the  poor  ones,  who 
he  knew  were  the  brothers  and  the  dearly 
beloved  of  his  Lord.  There  he  served 
[4] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FEATSTCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

his  apprenticeship  to  that  generous  pov- 
erty to  which  the  Redeemer  had  called 
him,  and  there  he  tasted  all  the  ignominy 
and  shame  for  which  he  yearned.  His 
heart  was  no  longer  to  be  affected  by  the 
false  pride  and  squeamishness  of  a world 
that  cannot  tolerate  opprobrium,  although 
opprobrium  may  be  said  to  have  been  con- 
secrated in  the  person  of  the  Son  of  God. 

It  was  thus  that  he  commenced  to  pro- 
fess the  faith  of  the  cross,  and  to  follow 
that  little  Infant  of  Bethlehem  (thus  was 
he  accustomed  to  call  our  Lord),  u who, 
for  being  rich,  became  poor  for  love  of  us, 
in  order  to  enrich  us  by  his  indigence.” 

Meanwhile,  the  father  of  Francis  com- 
plained bitterly  of  the  extravagance,  as 
he  termed  it,  of  his  son.  “ He,”  said  the 
father,  “ does  not  know  how  to  refuse  a 
poor  man ; he  cannot  bear  to  think  that 
there  is  a single  necessitous  family  in  the 
[51 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FBANCI9  OF  ASSISI. 

town  of  Assisi.  He  sells  all  my  goods, 
and  distributes  the  price  of  them  to  the 
poor.”  And  in  truth  such  was  the  system 
pursued  by  Francis  in  this  regard  that 
he  appeared  rather  like  a person  indebted 
to  the  whole  province  than  a man  dis- 
tributing alms.  But  as  his  entire  patri- 
mony could  not  suffice  to  discharge  these 
infinite  debts  of  such  immense  and  limit- 
less charity,  his  father  affirmed  that  he 
should  renounce  all  claim  on  his  property, 
“ and  the  more  so,”  said  he,  “ since  he  is 
incorrigible,  and  holds  out  no  hope  of 
being  better  able  to  manage  it.” 

Francis  gladly  accepted  the  proposition, 
and  repaired  with  his  father  to  the  Bishop 
of  Assisi,  in  whose  presence  he  made  a 
renunciation  of  all  that  he  possessed  or 
was  entitled  to  possess ; then, carried  away 
by  his  fervor  and  zeal,  he  exclaimed,  after 
he  had  cast  off  a portion  of  his  clothing : 

r«i 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FBANCIS  OF  ASSISL 

u Take  it,  father,  I am  giving  you  even 
more  than  you  require ; up  to  the  present 
I have  called  you  my  father,  henceforth  I 
will  not  expect  anything  more  from  you, 
and  I will  be  able  to  say  with  more  bold- 
ness and  greater  confidence,  1 Our  Father 
who  art  in  heaven.’  ” 

The  bishop,  moved  to  tears,  took  him 
into  his  arms,  covered  him  with  his  own 
cloak,  and  ordered  his  servants  to  bring 
him  garments.  By  chance  they  found  an 
old  tattered  cloak  belonging  to  a peasant. 
This  they  gave  to  Francis,  who  received 
it  gratefully,  and  put  it  on  him,  overjoyed 
that  he  now  owned  nothing  in  the  world, 
not  even  the  cloak  that  covered  him,  and 
still  more  overjoyed  at  being  able  to 
occupy  himself  solely  with  the  things  of 
God. 

Thus,  master  of  that  poverty  that  he 
had  desired  so  ardently,  he  went  away 
[7] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSXSL 

from  the  bishop’s  place  to  seek  some  se- 
cluded place  outside  the  town.  Those 
who  passed  the  road  heard  him  singing 
in  a loud  voice  the  praises  of  the  Lord. 
Having  entered  into  a wood,  he  was  en- 
countered by  a gang  of  robbers,  who  ask- 
ed him  what  he  was ; to  this  question  he 
replied:  “I  am  the  herald  of  the  great 
Kino;.”  This  answer  irritated  them  so  that 
they  bruised  him  and  flung  him  into  a 
dyke  filled  with  snow.  Rejoicing  at  this 
treatment,  he  continued  to  chant  the 
Lord’s  praises.  At  last  he  reached  the 
gates  of  a monastery  into  which  he  was 
admitted  as  a beggarman.  At  Gabio,  an 
inhabitant  of  that  town  took  him  into  his 
house,  and  gave  him  a miserable  dress  like 
that  worn  by  the  hermits;  Francis  wore 
it  for  two  years,  and  never  went  abroad 
without  having  a staff  in  his  hand.  One 
day,  whilst  praying  in  the  Church  of  St 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

Damian,  he  thought  he  heard  a voice 
coming  from  the  crucifix  before  which  he 
was  praying.  The  words  were,  “ Francis, 
go  and  prop  up  my  house,  which,  as  thou 
seest,  is  falling  into  ruins.” 

Astounded  by  this  order,  and  persuad- 
ed that  he  was  bound  to  obey  it,  he  set 
about  collecting  alms  for  his  design.  He 
visited  the  town  of  Assisi  to  beg  there, 
never  shrinking  from  the  holy  work,  not- 
withstanding the  insults  that  were  heap- 
ed on  him  by  his  parents  and  old  ac- 
quaintances. As  soon  as  he  had  gathered 
mouey  enough  to  rebuild  the  Church  of 
Saint  Damian,  he  might  be  seen  among 
the  workmen  carrying  stones  and  mortar, 
and  rejoicing  in  his  hard  toil  and  humilia- 
tions. 

Two  years  afterwards,  being  one  day  at 
Mass,  he  was  vividly  touched  by  the 
words  of  the  Gospel,  “ Carry  neither 
[fi] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 


gold  nor  silver,  nor  shoes,  nor  provisions 
on  your  journey,  nor  a staff.”  As  soon 
as  Mass  was  finished,  he  besought  the 
priest  to  explain  to  him  the  meaning  of 
the  words.  He  took  them  literally,  and 
applied  them  to  himself.  He  then  threw 
away  from  him  whatever  money  he  had, 
and  did  the  same  with  his  staff  and  leath- 
ern girdle.  He  afterwards  dressed  him- 
self in  a poor  habit  bound  round  him 
with  a cord,  such  as  was  commonly  worn 
by  the  shepherds  and  poor  peasants  of  that 
region  of  Italy.  In  the  following  year,  he 
gave  that  habit  to  his  disciples ; a little 
later  he  added  a short  mantle  or  capouch, 
in  order  to  cover  the  head ; and  it  was  on 
this  account  that  they  were  called  “ Ca- 
puchins.” 

Meanwhile,  Francis  was  going  from 
place  to  place,  inviting  all  creatures  to 

praise  and  bless  the  Lord,  devoting  his 
[10] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FE  AN  CIS  OF  ASSISL 

voice  and  intellect  to  tills  one  grand  ob- 
ject. He  passed  bis  days  and  nights  pro- 
nouncing and  meditating  such  holy  words 
as  “ Our  Father  who  art  in  Heaven,”  and 
“My  God  and  my  All.”  These  words 
were  on  his  lips  incessantly.  The  Pas- 
sion of  Jesus  Christ  was  ever  present  to 
his  memory.  “ I should  not,”  he  was 
accustomed  to  say,  “ be  ashamed  to  weep 
publicly  and  over  the  whole  world  for 
that  bitter  and  most  dolorous  Passion.” 

Francis  soon  found  many  of  the  princi- 
pal inhabitants  of  Assisi  flocking  round 
him.  His  words  and  his  blessed  example 
had  stirred  their  hearts  to  their  very 
depths.  To  those  who  adopted  his  views 
he  gave  the  habit,  and  made  them  the 
foundation  of  the  Order  of  Friars  Minors. 
He  then  went  to  Pome,  where  he  solicited 
and  obtained  from  Pope  Innocent  the 
Third  the  approbation  of  his  institute 
[HI 


T- 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  F&ANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

He  afterwards  returned  to  Assisi,  and 
took  up  his  abode  at  St.  Mary  of  the 
Angels. 

Finding  himself  now  at  the  head  of 
a hundred  and  twenty-seven  disciples,  he 
assembled  them  together,  and  spoke  to. 
them  in  the  most  pathetic  manner  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  of  contempt  of  the 
world,  of  the  necessity  of  renouncing  self- 
will,  and  of  the  mortification  of  the  senses. 
On  concluding,  he  said,  “ Do  not  be  afraid 
to  appear  despicable,  or  to  be  treated 
as  fools  and  idiots  by  men ; but  announce 
penance  and  simplicity,  placing  all  your 
trust  in  him  who  vanquished  the  world 
by  humility.  It  is  he  who  will  speak  in 
you  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Love  not  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  for  the  sake  of  some 
temporal  advantages,  and  take  heed  lest 
you  look  with  disdain  on  those  who  do 
not  live  like  you  ; God  is  their  master  as 
T12] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISL 


well  as  yo^rs,  and  he^can  bring  them  to 
himself  by  other  ways  unknown  to  your 
intelligence.” 

He  composed  for  his  order  a rule  which 
was  an  epitotne  of  the  maxims  prescribed 
in  the  Gospel  for  attaining  perfection  by 
the  practice  of  its  counsels ; and  to  this 
he  added  some  particular  observances  to 
maintain  conformity  in  their  manner  of 
living.  He  exhorted  his  brethren  to 
work  with  their  hands,  but  he  would  not 
have  them  accept  money.  He  permitted 
them  barely  to  receive  such  things  as 
were  necessary  for  their  subsistence.  He 
recommended  them  not  to  be  ashamed  to 
beg,  by  reminding  them  of  the  poverty 
of  Jesus  Christ.  u Poverty,”  said  he,  “is 
the  road  to  salvation,  the  nurse  of  humili- 
ty, and  the  root  of  perfection.  Its  fruits 
are  hidden,  but  they  multiply  by  an  infi- 
nity of  means.”  His  love  of  penance  was 

run 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

not  less  extraordinary,  and,  as  he  was 
poor  in  the  treasures  of  this  world,  he 
wished  also  to  be  poor  in  all  the 
enjoyments  that  they  procure.  He 
scarcely  satisfied  the  wants  of  nature,  and 
•he  was  ingenious  in  discovering  means  to 
mortify  his  body.  His  habit  indeed  wtis 
a course  one,  but  he  rendered  the  use  of 
it  still  more  painful.  The  naked  earth 
ordinarily  served  him  for  a bed ; he  slept 
sitting  up,  and  having  his  head  support- 
ed by  a log  of  wood  or  a piece  of  stone. 
What  he  used  for  his  food  was  seldom 
cooked,  except  in  cases  of  illness  ; and  he 
would  then  mix  water  and  ashes  in  what 
he  took  for  his  repast.  He  kept  eight 
Lents  every  year ; and  on  one  day,  when 
he  thought  himself  likely  to  be  overcome 
by  a temptation,  he  scourged  himself  with 
a rude  discipline,  rushed  out  of  his  cell, 

and  plunged  into  the  snow 
[14] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

But  it  is  not  enough  to  have  bade  adieu 
to  riches,  and  to  have  renounced  plea- 
sures ; he  who  has  not  renounced  himself, 
or  who  loves  himself,  is  not  yet  perfectly 
poor,  even  though  he  has  abandoned  all 
earthly  goods  and  earthly  delights.  Fran- 
cis had  divested  himself  of  all  self-love ; 
he  regarded  himself  in  all  sincerity  as  the 
most  contemptible  of  men  ; he  loved  to  be 
despised,  he  shunned  all  praise,  for  he 
was  at  all  times  thoroughly  persuaded 
that  man  in  reality  is  nothing  more  than 
what  he  is  in  the  eyes  of  God.  “ I refer,” 
said  he,  u to  God  the  honors  oestowed  on 
me,  because  they  are  due  to  him  alone ; I 
take  nothing  to  myself,  but  I sink  my- 
self deeper  and  deeper  into  my  nothing- 
ness. Statues  of  wood  and  stone  retain 
no  marks  of  the  honors  bestowed  on  them  ; 
the  honor  and  respect  are  intended  for  the 
objects  which  they  represent.  Now,  when 
risi 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

meii  honor  God  in  his  creatures,  and 
even  in  me,  who  am  the  last  and  least 
of  all,  I consider  only  him.”  If,  as  it 
sometimes  happened,  any  one  testified 
esteem  for  him,  he  answered,  “You 
should  not  praise  a man  who  is  not 
sure  of  himself,  and  who  knows  not 
what  may  become  of  him  ” ; and,  again, 
“A  man  should  not  gratify  himself 
because  he  fasts,  or  weeps,  or  chastises 
his  body,  for  a sinner  can  do  all  these 
things.  There  is  only  one  thing  that  a 
sinner  cannot  do : he  cannot  serve  God 
faithfully,  or  attribute  to  him  purely  that 
which  he  bestows  on  us.” 

On  another  occasion,  when  one  of  the 
brethren  who  was  in  his  company  ex- 
pressed astonishment  at  hearing  him  call- 
ing himself  a sinner,  Francis  made  this 
observation,  “ If  God  had  granted  to  the 

greatest  sinner  as  many  graces  as  he  has 
[16] 


1 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

given  to  me,  he  could  not  have  been  less 
grateful  to  him  than  I have  been ; but  had 
God  abandoned  me  to  myself, I would  have 
committed  more  crimes  than  all  the  sin- 
ners in  the  world.”  Whensoever  Heaven 
granted  him  the  extraordinary  favors  of 
visions  and  ecstasies,  he  prostrated  him- 
self on  the  earth,  and  never  ceased  re- 
peating these  words,  “ Who  am  I,  O my 
God  and  sweetest  Lord  ? who  am  I ? 
A mere  worm  of  the  earth,  and  thy  un- 
worthy creature.”  It  was  during  one  of 
these  divine  communications  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  that  he  deserved,  by  reason  of  his 
humility  and  his  ardent  love  of  Jesus 
crucified,  to  receive  on  his  body  the  im- 
pression of  the  five  wounds  of  our  Re- 
deemer. He  always  took  great  pains  to 
conceal  from  the  eyes  of  men  all  that 
was  passing  within  him.  If  he  occasion- 
ally spoke  openly  with  some  pious  per 
ri7] 


1 

-TIIE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FEANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

sons,  he  observed  the  greatest  circum- 
spection, his  sole  motive  being  to  ask 
advice  on  the  course  that  he  ought  to 
pursue. 

At  length,  sickness  visited  him.  His 
brethren  asked  him  if  he  would  have 
them  read  to  him  to  calm  his  sufferings. 
“ Nothing,”  replied  he,  “ could  afford  me 
greater  joy  than  to  meditate  on  the  life 
and  passion  of  our  Lord.  This  great  sub- 
ject is  ever  present  to  my  soul,  and,  were 
I to  live  till  the  end  of  the  world,  I would 
not  read  any  other  book.”  He  got  up, 
however,  notwithstanding  his  extreme 
feebleness,  and,  having  prostrated  himself 
on  the  door,  commenced  the  following 
prayer : “ I return  you  thanks,  O Lord, 
for  the  pains  I have  been  suffering ; may 
I suffer  ten  thousand  times  more  if  such 
be  thy  will ; I will  rejoice  to  find  thee 
punishing  this  miserable  body  without 
[18] 




THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

sparing  it;  for  what  sweeter  consolation 
can  I have  than  that  of  knowing  that  thy 
holy  will  has  been  accomplished  ? ” 

When  he  found  his  last  hour  approach- 
ing, he  desired  the  brethren  to  stretch 
him  on  the  floor,  where  his  body  was 
covered  with  a poor  habit  which  some 
one  had  bestowed  on  him  for  charity. 
In  this  state,  he  exhorted  his  disciples  to 
love  God,  and  to  practise  poverty  and 
penance. 

He  then  requested  them  to  treat  him 
after  his  death  as  though  he  had  been  the 
most  despicable  of  men.  “ Bury  me,”  said 
the  saint,  u in  the  place  where  the  bodies 
of  the  malefactors  are  interred.”  Then, 
having  bestowed  his  blessing  on  his  dis- 
ciples, he  took  leave  of  them  thus  : “ My 
children,  always  persevere  in  the  fear  of 
the  Lord.  The  time  of  trial  and  tribula- 
tion approaches  : happy  are  they  who  will 

[19] 


THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

persevere  in  the  good  work  they  have 
commenced.  For  me,  I am  going  to  God, 
and  1 recommend  you  all  to  his  graces.” 
Ilis  days  of  humility  and  poverty  had 
now  passed  away  for  ever.  The  hour  had 
now  come  in  which  he  was  to  go  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  to  receive  there  the 
treasures  of  immortal  glory  promised  to 
those  who  have  been  on  earth  truly 
humble  and  poor  in  spirit. 

PRATER. 

0 thou  who  were  truly  poor  in  spirit, 
and  who  not  only  supported  with  resigna- 
tion, but  loved  and  sought  after  poverty, 
humiliations,  contempt,  and  that  folly  of 
the  cross  more  wise  than  all  the  wisdom 
of  the  world,  obtain  for  us  of  God  the 
strength  necessary  to  immolate  our  pride, 
our  vanity,  and  our  love  of  pleasures. 

[20J 

• 

1 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI. 

Pray  for  us  that  we  may  learn  to  know 
ourselves  as  we  ought.  Do  thou  be  our 
guide  in  the  narrow  way  that  leads  to 
eternal  life. 


Author 

The  Lives  of  the  Saints 


Title 


boston  college  librar 

UNIVERSITY  HEIGHTS 
CHESTNUT  HILL,  MASS. 

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